Republican senators, including Rep. Michael McCaul, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee are leading efforts to get answers about allegations of mishandling of classified documents by the Biden administration’s special envoy for iran
Robert Malley, President Biden’s special envoy for Iran, has had his security clearance revoked and has been placed on unpaid leave pending the completion of an investigation, according to a Fox News report .
Last week, McCaul sent a detailed letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, requesting information on the matter. McCaul expressed concern about Malley’s conduct and whether the State Department provided accurate information to Congress and the public.
McCaul noted, “While the suspension of Special Envoy Malley’s authorization is troubling on its own, our concern is compounded by the State Department’s failure to respond to the Committee’s efforts to monitor his negotiations and its policy toward Iran.Since April 11, 2023, the Committee has repeatedly requested testimony from Special Envoy Malley, which the Department has not complied with, despite numerous commitments by press of Special Envoy Malley from May 30, 2023.”
McCaul highlighted the State Department’s failure to respond to requests from the committee to oversee negotiations and Iran policy, as well as Malley’s refusal to testify before the committee, citing the illness of a family member . According to McCaul, the Department did not disclose that Malley’s security clearance was under review or that he was being investigated for possible misconduct.
“At no time did the Department indicate that Special Envoy Malley’s security clearance was suspended or under review, or that he was being investigated for possible misconduct,” the congressman wrote.
“The Department’s failure to inform Congress of this matter demonstrates, at best, a lack of candor and, at worst, deliberate and potentially illegal misinformation,” he added.
Senator Bill Hagerty raised questions on social media about Malley’s alleged misconduct and when President Biden and Secretary Blinken learned of the allegations against him.
Malley acknowledged that his security clearance is being investigated, but expressed confidence in a positive outcome.
Hagerty also questioned why Malley was allowed to continue in his diplomatic role while under investigation and why he was selected for the position given his past contacts with extremist groups. Hagerty, along with more than 30 senators, recently introduced a bill that would require a congressional vote on sanctions relief for Iran.
Malley has been accused of making major concessions to the Iranian regime as part of a planned nuclear deal, which could provide billions in sanctions relief. He has also advocated for normalizing relations with state sponsors of terrorism, including Iran and Syria.
Malley declined to appear before the committee, according to McCaul’s letter.
Senator Marco Rubio stressed the importance of scrutinizing the secret “deal” Malley is allegedly working on with Iran.
Former national security adviser John Bolton expressed concern about Malley’s position, noting that he could not recall a similar case in US history.
Growing criticism of Malley may bolster a campaign led by Iranian-American human rights activist Masih Alinejad to force the State Department to remove Malley as special envoy. Alinejad’s petition has garnered more than 136,000 signatures since October.
Alinejad and other anti-regime activists accuse Malley of misrepresenting the nature of protests against the regime in Iran and of pushing for negotiations with the Islamic Republic. Protests erupted in September following the torture and killing of Masha Amini by Iran’s morality police for not wearing the hijab properly.
The National Union for Democracy in Iran, a US-based organization, has been at the forefront of opposing Malley’s appointment, and they hope a legal and rule of law investigation will prompt action if demonstrates misconduct.
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