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Sen. Coons: Why did White House wait on Flynn?

Delaware Public Media

Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates testified before a Senate committee Monday about possible Russian meddling. And  Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) has more questions than answers.

Coons and his Judiciary Committee colleagues questioned Yates about her knowledge of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia Monday.

Yates testified she warned the White House that Flynn had lied about contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. more than two weeks before he was fired, potentially placing Flynn in a compromised position.

Coons told NPR's Morning Edition Tuesday the Trump Administrations slow-footed removal of Flynn is troubling.

"My question was not just ‘Why was he in the White House?’ But ‘Why was he in the Situation Room for 18 days after a blindingly clear warning was given?’" Coons said.

But Coons adds how the White House handled Flynn is just one of his concerns.

"The larger question is why won’t President Trump step up and say ‘The Russians hacked our election. This is a matter of national security on a bipartisan basis. Let’s get to the bottom of it.'"

Coons said even more questions loom because Yates said she couldn't answer some of the committee's lines of questioning outside a classified setting.

Coons says he hopes the Senate Intelligence Committee can address some of those sensitive questions as part of its probe into possible Russian interference in the last U.S. election.

Former Director of National Security James Clapper also testified at Monday's Judiciary Committee hearing.