GOP lawmakers demand answers on Iran envoy Malley's suspension

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has requested the State Department provide a detailed accounting into US Special Envoy Robert Malley’s leave of absence and suspension of his security clearance.  

On Thursday, Malley confirmed his security clearance was under investigation and said he expected the matter to be resolved soon. CNN and other outlets reported Malley was on unpaid leave amid a State Department diplomatic security investigation into his possible mishandling of classified information. 

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) said the reports “raise serious concerns both regarding Malley’s conduct and whether the State Department misled Congress and the American public.”

“The department’s failure to inform Congress of this matter demonstrates at best a lack of candor, and at worst represents deliberate and potentially unlawful misinformation,” McCaul said. 

Malley has been the public face of the Biden administration’s efforts to re-enter the 2015 nuclear pact, which curbed Iran’s nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief. Indirect talks with Iran collapsed last summer, and the administration is now reportedly discussing an informal arrangement that would involve Iran pausing its uranium enrichment and taking other de-escalatory steps in exchange for limited access to funds frozen abroad under US sanctions.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee has since mid-April requested that Malley update the committee about the administration’s indirect negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program and detention of Americans. Senior State officials told the committee that Malley was unable to testify or brief “because he was on personal leave due to the illness of a close family member,” according to McCaul. 

“At no point did the department indicate that Special Envoy Malley’s security clearance was suspended or under review, or that he was being investigated for potential misconduct,” McCaul added.  

Malley was noticeably absent from the group of Biden officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Malley's deputy, Abram Paley, who delivered a classified briefing on Iran to senators on May 16. 

In his letter to Blinken, McCaul requested a “detailed accounting” of allegations surrounding potential misconduct. He is also seeking from the State Department “all documents and communications” related to Malley’s leave and security clearance suspension.  

McCaul also requested public testimony from Paley, who is serving as acting special envoy, and the White House’s Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, who has led recent the indirect talks with Iran in Oman. He also asked for a classified briefing to the committee by the end of July

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller confirmed Thursday afternoon that Malley was on leave. Earlier Thursday, however, Miller told reporters in the department’s afternoon press briefing that Malley remained in his special envoy role. 

Reports of Malley’s leave quickly drew criticism from Republican lawmakers who have demanded congressional oversight of the administration’s efforts to reach a deal with Iran. 

“This situation with Malley makes it more important than ever for Congress to scrutinize & weigh in on the secret 'deal' he is putting together with Iran,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) tweeted Friday. 

Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) tweeted that President Joe Biden “needs to answer not just for Malley, but for his entire Iran policy.”