'Flynn was compromised by Russia'

Yates told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Monday that she warned White House officials that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn could be blackmailed.

President Trump said he didn't feel a sense of urgency in firing his national security adviser on conversation with top administrative lawyers.

Before assuming office, Mr. Flynn discussed with the Russian ambassador in Washington the possibility of relaxing US sanctions, according to leaked media reports of intelligence intercepts, but there is no official version of what transpired in those conversations.

Just two days after the election, Obama urged President-elect Trump not to rehire Flynn, whom he once fired from the Pentagon.

"This was a problem because" it "created a compromised situation" where the national security adviser "essentially could be blackmailed by the Russians". Was it to spy on Flynn, Rice's replacement? He said then she informed the White House counsel's office that there were materials relevant to the situation involving Flynn.

Yates was the acting attorney general, a holdover from President Barack Obama's administration.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer made this argument on Tuesday, saying Yates is "someone who is not exactly a supporter of the president's agenda" as part of his explanation of why the White House did not act immediately on Yates' warning about Flynn.

When asked why Trump still speaks glowingly of a guy who was sacked for lying to Vice President Pence about his contacts with Russian Federation, the press secretary offered the confounding explanation that "the president does not want to smear a good man".

There were a number of questions about whether it was Yates' place to come forward about the issues with Flynn. The president made, ultimately, the right decision and I think he was proven that - that - that.

A person familiar with Yates' plans says she is likely to testify she expressed alarm about discrepancies between the statements and what occurred.

The request came after a leaker revealed Yates' conversations with the White House, and Flynn, to the Washington Post.

President Donald Trump, Thursday, lauded a longtime public servant who he recently dismissed.

"This man has served for many years".

I think a objective of Republicans' questioning Yates about the order was to defend the White House from the conclusion that it recklessly ignored Yates' guidance about Flynn.

Probes by several congressional committees into Russian election meddling have been bogged down for weeks amid accusations by Democrats that Republicans have stalled progress to protect the White House.