© Greg Nash
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Senate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' MORE (D-N.Y.) is requesting the Justice Department investigate whether acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard Grenell
Richard GrenellA judge's Monsanto ruling affects both the law and the economy CNN's Tapper tried to talk GOP candidate out of running against Democratic incumbent: report Nobel prize committee's credibility is on the line MORE failed to disclose previous work for foreign entities.
Chuck SchumerCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Senate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' MORE (D-N.Y.) is requesting the Justice Department investigate whether acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard GrenellRichard GrenellA judge's Monsanto ruling affects both the law and the economy CNN's Tapper tried to talk GOP candidate out of running against Democratic incumbent: report Nobel prize committee's credibility is on the line 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 John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE last week tapped Grenell to take over for Joseph Maguire
Joseph MaguireCongressional Democrats request FBI briefing on foreign election interference efforts Wells Fargo told employees to delete TikTok from work phones Hillicon Valley: Pompeo floats TikTok ban | Civil rights groups slam Facebook after call | Election security funding included in proposal 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 John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE last week tapped Grenell to take over for Joseph MaguireJoseph MaguireCongressional Democrats request FBI briefing on foreign election interference efforts Wells Fargo told employees to delete TikTok from work phones Hillicon Valley: Pompeo floats TikTok ban | Civil rights groups slam Facebook after call | Election security funding included in proposal 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 CardinCongress must finish work on popular conservation bill before time runs out PPP application window closes after coronavirus talks deadlock Congress eyes tighter restrictions on next round of small business help 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 CardinCongress must finish work on popular conservation bill before time runs out PPP application window closes after coronavirus talks deadlock Congress eyes tighter restrictions on next round of small business help 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.
