Story highlights
Lindsey Graham's call shows lingering GOP concerns Susan Rice may have acted improperly
It's a charge the former national security adviser denied over the weekend
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday he wants former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice to testify next week before his subcommittee to determine whether the Obama administration “tried to politicize intelligence” – part of his broader investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections.
Graham, the chairman of a judiciary subcommittee, told CNN he has asked Rice to testify at the same hearing where former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper will testify on Russia meddling. It is unclear if Rice will appear.
CNN has reached out to Rice for comment and has not yet received a response. Over the weekend, Rice denied the unmasking allegation to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.
“I did my job, which was to protect the American people, and I did it faithfully and to the best of my ability,” she said. “And never did I do anything that was untoward with respect to the intelligence I received.”
The call from Graham shows the lingering concern among Republicans that Rice may have acted improperly in seeking to learn the identities of Trump officials discussing matters with foreign officials related to the Trump transition.
RELATED: Offering no evidence, Trump suggests Susan Rice unmasking requests may be criminal
“I’d like to ask questions of her,” Graham said. “I have seen press reports, I don’t know how accurate they are, that she was involved in the unmasking of an American citizen who was incidentally surveilled. “
Graham added: “So there’s an allegation out there that Republicans and maybe Democratic presidential candidates, that there was some collection on these candidates and that Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes asked the unmasking – in other words, to know what they were saying.”
Graham said: “I believe Russia tried to interfere in our election. Did the Obama administration try to politicize intel? I don’t know. I’d like to get the answer to both. “
Graham suggested he was unlikely to issue a subpoena to compel her testimony.
RELATED: Senate intel panel to CIA headquarters for briefing on Russia probe
