THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

April 19, 2017

The Honorable Jason Chaffetz

Chairman

The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings

Ranking Member

United States House of Representatives
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
2157 Rayburn House Of?ce Building
Washington, DC. 20515

Dear Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings:

Thank you for your letter of March 22, 2017 to Chief of Staff Reince Priebus regarding
former National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Your letter requests
information and/or documents in connection with a review by the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform (Committee) of Lt. Gen. disclosure of payments that he reportedly
received from entities af?liated with the Russian and Turkish governments.

Requests 1 and 2 seek information and documents related to Lt. Gen. security
clearance, including excerpts from his Form SF-86 and certain ?[i]nvestigative and adjudicative
?les.? Lt. Gen. security clearance was adjudicated and held by the Defense Intelligence
Agency, a component of the Department of Defense. We therefore refer you to the Department
of Defense for these materials.

Request 3 seeks documents ?referring or relating to Lt. Gen. contacts with
foreign nationals,? including ?direct or indirect communications between Lt. Gen. and
foreign government of?cials, representatives, af?liates, or agents.? To the extent this request
seeks documents pre-dating January 20, 2017, they generally would not be in the possession,
custody, or control of this of?ce.

With respect to documents post-dating January 20, Lt. Gen. likely had contacts
with a signi?cant number of foreign nationals in his of?cial capacity as National Security
Adviser. Many, if not all, documents relating to such contacts are likely to contain classi?ed,
sensitive, and/or con?dential information. Moreover, it is unclear how such documents would be
relevant to the stated purpose of the Committee?s review, which according to your letter is to
examine Lt. Gen. disclosure of payments related to activities that occurred in 2015 and
2016, prior to his service in the White House. In light of these issues, we are unable to
accommodate Request 3. 

Finally, Requests 4 through 6 seek documents relating to Lt. Gen. receipt of
funds from foreign sources, efforts ?to seek permission or approval? for any such payments, and

Chairman Jason Chaffetz Ranking Member Elijah Cummings
April 19, 2017
Page 2

any work with ?Leading Authorities, Inc.? As noted above, we understand the Committee?s

review and these requests to be focused on payments and activities that occurred in 2015 and
2016. Given that these activities and payments predate Lt. Gen. lynn?s service at the White
House, this of?ce is unable to conduct a search for responsive documents.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

    

Marc T. Short
Assistant to the President and
Director of Legislative Affairs