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John Bolton.
- Democrats are asking for records related to President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton and his work with suspected Russian spy Maria Butina.
- In a Monday letter to White House chief of staff John Kelly, top Democrats demanded documents related to Bolton's security clearance.
- They want Kelly to "produce documents related to whether Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President Trump appointing him to his current position."
Democrats are pushing White House chief of staff John Kelly to turn over records related to President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton and his work with suspected Russian spy Maria Butina.
In a Monday letter to Kelly, which was provided to Business Insider, Democratic Reps. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts requested that Kelly "produce documents related to whether Bolton reported his previous work with this alleged Russian spy on his security clearance forms or other White House vetting materials prior to President Trump appointing him to his current position."
Cummings is ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Lynch is ranking member of that committee's subcommittee on national security.
The two requested all documents and information from Bolton and his associates related to his contacts with foreign nationals over the past seven years, in addition to all documents related to inquiries into Bolton's security clearance and Bolton's answers to a series of questions in his security clearance application.
The letter comes as the White House is weighing revoking the security clearance of one current and several former intelligence officials after taking away former CIA Director John Brennan's clearance last week.
The Justice Department filed a criminal complaint against Butina last month, accusing her of working as a Russian spy. Butina was the founder of a pro-gun group in Russia called "Right to Bear Arms."
As part of her alleged conspiracy on behalf of the Russian government, the government says, Butina tried to gain access and influence with political groups in the US, including the National Rifle Association.
In late 2013, Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, recorded a video with Butina promoting the expansion of gun rights in Russia.
At the time, Bolton served as the head of the NRA's Subcommittee on International Affairs, and then-NRA President David Keene asked him to participate in the 2013 roundtable that Butina helped organize, NPR reported.
A source close to Bolton told NPR that he was informed the video was a recording for the Russian legislature and had never heard of Right to Bear Arms.
Butina has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to act and failing to register as an agent of a foreign government. Russia has called the arrest politically motivated.