US Lawmaker Seeks Records Of Suspended Iran Envoy Robert Malley
A US lawmaker has requested easier access to information concerning the suspensions of officers in the executive branch, including former Iran envoy Robert Malley.
A US lawmaker has requested easier access to information concerning the suspensions of officers in the executive branch, including former Iran envoy Robert Malley.
Malley was quietly removed from his duties in April as first reported by Iran International, apparently for mishandling restricted information, but the Biden administration has so far refused to disclose any details.
Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney introduced the ROBERT MALLEY Act on Thursday, which requires "the heads of executive agencies to disclose, upon request, relevant information to congressional committees regarding the furlough or indefinite suspension of employees."
Malley served as the Biden administration's special envoy for Iran until late April 2023, when he had his security clearance suspended and was placed on unpaid leave without explanation. Iran International first raised the issue of his long-term absence in June.
In September, Iran International and Semafor exposed a large Iranian influence operation in Washington.
The reports revealed that former Iran envoy Robert Malley's associates published op-eds, appeared on news channels, and even sought approval for their public appearances to promote the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
In October, the US House Oversight Committee announced that it intended to subpoena Robert Malley as part of its investigation of US policies towards Iran.
The committee alleges that the government has obstructed Congress' repeated attempts to determine the reasons behind the revocation of Malley's security clearance by US Diplomatic Security two months before he was placed on unpaid leave.
Additionally, the committee is seeking records relating to one of Malley's aides, Ariane Tabatabai, and her involvement in the Iran Experts Initiative, a program intended to promote Iran's perspectives on nuclear negotiations.
