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Austin, TX – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) wrote a letter to Secretary Blinken reiterating their request to be kept regularly informed on the investigation into why Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley’s security clearance was suspended and the status of his employment with the State Department.

“Accordingly, we are writing to directly reiterate our request that the Department notify and brief the Committee upon any relevant developments regarding the status of Mr. Malley’s employment and his ability to access classified information at the Department,” the lawmakers wrote. “This request is even more important with the recent news that Mr. Malley will be joining both Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs as a visiting professor and guest lecturer, and Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs as a senior fellow. Both developments would suggest a change to his employment status and that he will be leaving the State Department.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

Dear Secretary Blinken:

Thank you for making John Bass, Under Secretary of State for Management, and Gentry Smith, Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, available for a closed briefing with us on July 28th on the suspension of Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley’s, security clearance.

Though we appreciated the briefers’ time, we are concerned that some officials at the Department, including yourself, knew about Mr. Malley’s situation for months but did not communicate to Congress about it, even as the Committee expressed bipartisan interest in receiving testimony or a briefing from Mr. Malley on Iran policy. We asked the briefers that the Department keep us regularly informed on this matter going forward, and we were told that they would take our request under consideration. We are sure you understand why we are not satisfied by that response. 

Accordingly, we are writing to directly reiterate our request that the Department notify and brief the Committee upon any relevant developments regarding the status of Mr. Malley’s employment and his ability to access classified information at the Department. This request is even more important with the recent news that Mr. Malley will be joining both Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs as a visiting professor and guest lecturer, and Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs as a senior fellow.  Both developments would suggest a change to his employment status and that he will be leaving the State Department.

To improve communication and transparency with Congress going forward, we also request that the Department notify and brief this Committee when an Assistant Secretary or higher, a Deputy Chief of Mission or higher, or an individual who is a direct report to you, such as a Special Envoy, has their clearance suspended or revoked.

We appreciate your commitment to transparency and look forward to your continued engagement on this troubling matter.

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