Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are demanding the Obama administration prove that a $400 million payment to Iran didn’t break the law.
The two senators sent a letter Friday to Secretary of State John Kerry, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to “inquire about the legality of the payment.”
“The unusual circumstances surrounding the administration’s payment of $400 million to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran have raised serious concerns not only about the propriety of the transaction, but about its legality as well,” Cruz and Lee wrote in their letter.
Republicans have seized on the details of the January payment — which was made in cash and coincided with the release of U.S. hostages in Iran — to argue it was a “ransom.”
Cruz and Lee said it “appears” the administration violated U.S. sanctions against Iran.
“If the administration violated the law, then Congress and the American people should be made aware of it so that they can hold the appropriate officials accountable and take whatever steps necessary to strengthen the law and prevent any reoccurrence,” they wrote.
The Obama administration has dismissed the accusations, noting the payment was the part of a larger $1.7 billion settlement tied to a decades-long arms dispute.
But Cruz and Lee said there is “strong evidence that the administration did indeed agree or at least understand that the decades-long dispute was settled in exchange for return of American prisoners in violation of longstanding United States policy against the payment of ransom for hostages.”
The two senators called for the Obama administration to “describe in detail each step of the transition,” including where the funds came from and who was responsible for negotiating and carrying out the settlement.
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Cruz and Lee also asked what steps the Obama administration has taken to make sure the money won’t be used to support Iranian-backed terrorism.
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.@TedCruz just blasted Obama's 'foolhardy' ransom payment to Iran https://t.co/E6v7DVfTNI
— Conservative Review (@CR) August 10, 2016
.@SenMikeLee and I have concerns about the $400 million ransom payment to Iran. https://t.co/LcQP1MJ0dJ
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 12, 2016
Of course it wasn’t legal.
Another letter that will get a non-response. It will be ignored by Obama, the Justice Dept. etc.
I think it’s clear that we are now a banana republic with leaders that are unaccountable. They don’t have to pay for their crimes but we surely will.
I’ve lost any and all confidence in our system.
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