© Greg Nash
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerBiden 'encouraged' by meeting with congressional leaders on infrastructure Republicans welcome the chance to work with Democrats on a bipartisan infrastructure bill Cheney sideshow distracts from important battle over Democrats' partisan voting bill MORE (D-N.Y.) is requesting the Justice Department investigate whether acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard Grenell
Richard GrenellGrenell still interested in California recall bid Cleveland businessman jumps into Ohio Senate race: Trump 'victories' need to be protected Tanden withdraws nomination as Biden budget chief MORE failed to disclose previous work for foreign entities.
Chuck SchumerBiden 'encouraged' by meeting with congressional leaders on infrastructure Republicans welcome the chance to work with Democrats on a bipartisan infrastructure bill Cheney sideshow distracts from important battle over Democrats' partisan voting bill MORE (D-N.Y.) is requesting the Justice Department investigate whether acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard GrenellRichard GrenellGrenell still interested in California recall bid Cleveland businessman jumps into Ohio Senate race: Trump 'victories' need to be protected Tanden withdraws nomination as Biden budget chief MORE failed to disclose previous work for foreign entities.Schumer on Wednesday released a letter to John Demers, the assistant attorney general for national security, asking that he "immediately" open an investigation into reports that Grenell did not disclose the work, a potential violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
"If the reports regarding the nature of Mr. Grenell's undisclosed work with foreign entities are accurate, he may be subject to potential civil and criminal liability as well as vulnerable to blackmail in his new position in the Intelligence Community," Schumer wrote.
CNN reported this week that before joining the Trump administration Grenell's company earned more than $100,000 from a foundation tied to the Hungarian government.
ProPublica also reported that Grenell, in 2016, wrote articles defending Vladimir Plahotniuc, a Moldovan politician, but did not register under FARA. Plahotniuc was sanctioned by the U.S. government last month.
Craig Engle, an attorney with the law firm Arent Fox LLP who told ProPublica he was responding on Grenell's behalf, said Grenell was not required to register under FARA “because he was not working at the direction of a foreign power.”
President Trump
Donald TrumpWarren says Republican party 'eating itself and it is discovering that the meal is poisonous' More than 75 Asian, LGBTQ groups oppose anti-Asian crime bill McConnell says he's 'great admirer' of Liz Cheney but mum on her removal MORE last week tapped Grenell to take over for Joseph Maguire
Joseph MaguireJudge dismisses Nunes's defamation suit against Washington Post Retired Navy admiral behind bin Laden raid says he voted for Biden Congressional Democrats request FBI briefing on foreign election interference efforts MORE as acting DNI, prompting fierce attacks from Democrats and other critics who argue that his appointment was based solely on loyalty and not experience in intelligence matters. Grenell, a vocal Trump supporter, previously served as a spokesman for the United Nations.
Donald TrumpWarren says Republican party 'eating itself and it is discovering that the meal is poisonous' More than 75 Asian, LGBTQ groups oppose anti-Asian crime bill McConnell says he's 'great admirer' of Liz Cheney but mum on her removal MORE last week tapped Grenell to take over for Joseph MaguireJoseph MaguireJudge dismisses Nunes's defamation suit against Washington Post Retired Navy admiral behind bin Laden raid says he voted for Biden Congressional Democrats request FBI briefing on foreign election interference efforts MORE as acting DNI, prompting fierce attacks from Democrats and other critics who argue that his appointment was based solely on loyalty and not experience in intelligence matters. Grenell, a vocal Trump supporter, previously served as a spokesman for the United Nations.Schumer, in his letter, also questioned whether Grenell misled the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing to be ambassador to Germany about whether he was paid for the op-eds.
Sen. Ben Cardin
Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinHouse panel advances bipartisan retirement savings bill Senate passes bipartisan B water infrastructure bill Senate Democrats push Biden over raising refugee cap MORE (D-Md.) asked Grenell as part of written questions if he was paid for writing the opinion pieces, including those relating to Moldova. Grenell said in his written response that he did not receive any compensation for the work and that the op-eds were not written at the direction of someone else.
Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinHouse panel advances bipartisan retirement savings bill Senate passes bipartisan B water infrastructure bill Senate Democrats push Biden over raising refugee cap MORE (D-Md.) asked Grenell as part of written questions if he was paid for writing the opinion pieces, including those relating to Moldova. Grenell said in his written response that he did not receive any compensation for the work and that the op-eds were not written at the direction of someone else."I did not receive any compensation for that work. I believe strongly in confronting threats to democracy, and all of those views were my own opinion," Grenell wrote in response to Cardin's question.
