{"id":1982819,"date":"2023-07-26T05:15:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T09:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-malley-investigation-explained\/"},"modified":"2023-07-26T05:20:19","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T09:20:19","slug":"the-malley-investigation-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-malley-investigation-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"The Malley Investigation, Simplified"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">8<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-malley-investigation-explained%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1982819&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div>\n<h2>The\u2064 Mysterious Case \u200bof Robert Malley: What Really Happened?<\/h2>\n<p>In mid-May, a group of senators \u2062began quietly asking questions after the Biden administration\u2019s Iran envoy Robert\u2063 Malley was \u200ca \u200bno-show at a classified briefing on negotiations surrounding a revamped Iran nuclear deal.<\/p>\n<p>As the top diplomat involved \u200din talks with Tehran, Malley\u2019s failure to appear before Congress drew questions from lawmakers and senior staffers. At \u2064the time, Biden \u200badministration officials told \u200dlawmakers that Malley \u2063was on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-launches-probe-into-scandal-plagued-biden-iran-envoy\/\" title=\"Congress investigates scandal-ridden Biden Iran envoy.\">extended personal leave<\/a>, sources say.<\/p>\n<p>Just a month later, it became clear\u2063 that Malley was the \u2062subject of an investigation into his alleged \u200cmishandling\u200d of \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/typos-involving-one-small-letter-have-been-exposing-russian-ally-to-highly-sensitive-us-military-information\/\" title=\"Typos expose Russian ally to sensitive US military info.\">classified\u200d information<\/a>, a charge so serious\u200c that the probe was later handed off from the State Department office responsible for \u2063diplomatic security to \u200cthe FBI. Washington\u2019s national security rumor mill \u2062has\u2064 been swirling ever since, though details about Malley\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-malley-investigation-explained\/\" title=\"The Malley Investigation, Simplified\">alleged transgression remain unclear<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What are the possibilities? The <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em> spoke with a \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/infographic-timeline-of-the-durham-investigation\/\" title=\"Infographic: Timeline of the Durham Investigation\">half-dozen current<\/a> \u2063and former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nbc-news-covers-the-biden-administration\/\" title=\"NBC News Covers the Biden Administration\u00a0\">national security officials<\/a> \u200bto shed light on the situation.<\/p>\n<h3>Leaking Classified Material to Foreign Adversary<\/h3>\n<p>The most serious possibility is that Malley intentionally passed classified materials \u200cto Iran or \u2063another\u2062 foreign nation.<\/p>\n<p>Iranian press reports\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tehrantimes.com\/news\/486875\/Exclusive-The-secret-talks-that-doomed-Rob-Malley\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">indicate<\/a> that Malley was \u200cholding secret \u200ctalks with Iranian diplomats \u2063at the\u2063 United \u200bNations, perhaps\u2063 without authorization from the State Department. Malley, in fact,\u2062 has a history of holding unsanctioned meetings with America\u2019s enemies,\u200b including in\u2064 2008, when he was <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/biden-state-department-blocks-congressional-investigation-into-scandal-plagued-iran-envoy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fired<\/a> from\u2064 the Obama\u2064 campaign for conducting talks with the Iranian-backed \u2062terror group Hamas. In addition\u200d to mishandling \u200bclassified information, officials can\u200c have their security clearances \u2062revoked \u2062if they \u2062fail to disclose contacts with\u200d foreigners.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Tehran Times<\/em>, a pro-regime mouthpiece, \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tehrantimes.com\/news\/486875\/Exclusive-The-secret-talks-that-doomed-Rob-Malley\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">claimed<\/a> earlier this month\u2064 that Malley engaged in &#8220;suspicious interactions with unofficial advisors of Iranian descent,&#8221; and that his \u200dsecurity clearance was \u2064initially pulled in late April. The disclosure of these \u200bdetails in the \u200bIranian press indicates that sources in Tehran may know more \u200cabout the\u2064 situation\u2064 than those\u200c in the American media.<\/p>\n<h3>Leaking Classified Information to Pro-Tehran \u200bAdvocates<\/h3>\n<p>Sources who spoke to the\u200d <em>Free Beacon<\/em> indicated that Malley may have leaked\u2063 classified information to a network of pro-Tehran advocates who supported the Obama administration\u2019s\u2062 Iran deal. Malley and others involved in\u2062 the \u2063original Iran deal routinely briefed this group to ensure they reiterated the Obama \u2063administration\u2019s talking points about the deal.\u2062 The collection\u200c of Iran deal \u2062supporters and those sympathetic to\u2062 the\u2063 hardline regime came \u200bto be \u2064known as the \u2064&#8221;echo chamber.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sources say Malley may have resumed briefing the echo chamber \u2064as President Joe Biden \u2063pushes\u2063 to resurrect the\u200d Iran deal,\u2064 and that during\u2064 one\u2064 such briefing \u2063he\u2063 may have leaked information he was not authorized to disclose.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Tehran Times<\/em>, \u2063in \u200dits July report, claimed \u200cthat Malley is routinely in contact with a slew of Iranian-regime advocates, such as the Quincy Institute\u2019s Trita Parsi, and that these allies act as middlemen for negotiations with the Iranian government.<\/p>\n<p>This theory has also gained traction in the American media.<\/p>\n<h3>Unintentional Mishandling of Classified Information<\/h3>\n<p>It is also possible Malley mishandled classified information, which would carry a less severe charge. If\u2062 Malley misplaced\u2062 a \u200bdocument or failed to secure a piece \u2063of information, the State \u200dDepartment\u2019s diplomatic security section could revoke his \u2062clearance pending an investigation, according to\u2063 current and \u200dformer government officials.<\/p>\n<p>The Clinton\u200b administration\u2019s ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, \u2064had \u200dhis security clearance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2000\/09\/23\/world\/us-envoy-to-israel-relieved-of-post-over-security-issues.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">revoked<\/a> in 2000 after the FBI began investigating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/archives\/la-xpm-2000-oct-11-mn-34808-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">charges<\/a> he accessed classified information from an \u200dunauthorized\u200c laptop.<\/p>\n<p>However, in Inydk\u2019s\u2062 case, the State Department was transparent about the charges. The Biden administration has provided <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/senators-demand-independent-probe-into-rob-malley-security-clearance-fiasco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no\u2062 public information<\/a> \u200b about the investigation into\u2064 Malley, and \u2063will not even publicly confirm that his security clearance is \u2063revoked. Malley\u200b himself revealed that \u200dnews to reporters last month.<\/p>\n<p>One national\u200b security official who\u2063 spoke to the <em>Free \u2064Beacon<\/em> said \u2062that after three months of silence, \u2064&#8221;there is no good explanation&#8221; for the ongoing secrecy \u200csurrounding Malley\u2019s situation. Several \u2062sources also said they were hard\u2062 pressed to think of a similar case\u200d in\u2064 which \u200da top \u2064American diplomat was removed from their post for security \u2064reasons.<\/p>\n<h3>An Unrelated Infraction<\/h3>\n<p>It is \u2064also possible \u200bthat Malley\u2019s security clearance was pulled for \u2064an issue unrelated to his work on the Iran \u2062portfolio. Any \u200bsort\u2064 of criminal activity\u2014from drug use to a\u2064 run-in\u2062 with\u200c the\u200c police\u2014is grounds for an investigation by Diplomatic Security, the State Department\u2019s in-house enforcement agency.<\/p>\n<h3>Questionable Timing<\/h3>\n<p>The State Department maintained that\u200b Malley\u200d was on extended leave until around June 29, two months\u2062 after\u200d his security clearance was suspended, according to one former diplomat familiar with the situation.\u2064 During that time, Malley was still \u200cconducting activities in his official \u2063role, in violation of\u200c State Department protocols.<\/p>\n<p>Malley was spotted at the \u2064James Foley Legacy Foundation dinner on May\u200b 3, and spoke \u2062with the family members of Iranian\u2064 hostages,\u200c according to \u200done source \u200cwho was\u2063 also at\u2064 the event.<\/p>\n<p>The diplomat also held an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/05\/30\/1178919266\/trump-abandoned-the-nuclear-deal-5-years-ago-could-the-u-s-stop-a-bomb-from-iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interview<\/a> with NPR\u200d on May 30,\u2062 and was introduced as the \u200dspecial\u2063 envoy for Iran. \u2064Malley also <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/USEnvoyIran\/status\/1654567856514670593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tweeted<\/a> from his official State Department account during the time he was reportedly \u200bon leave.<\/p>\n<p>Republican \u200csenators are already pulling \u200dat\u2064 this thread, with 17 lawmakers <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/senators-demand-independent-probe-into-rob-malley-security-clearance-fiasco\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">calling on<\/a> \u2062the State Department\u200d to &#8220;conduct an independent investigation into \u2063whether State Department officials complied with all appropriate laws and\u200d regulations&#8221; when they removed Malley \u2062from his posting.<\/p>\n<p>Gabriel Noronha, a senior Iran adviser at the State Department in the\u200d Trump\u2062 administration, said it appears &#8220;the State \u2063Department&#8217;s playbook was to\u2063 pretend\u2063 nothing was amiss and \u2063hope they\u2063 could cover up Malley&#8217;s security \u200dclearance suspension permanently. It \u200bwas only when \u2064it\u2062 was publicized \u2063that the\u2064 Department \u200cput Malley on unpaid leave, allowing him access to sensitive \u2063spaces \u2064and responsibilities for months beforehand.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In mid-May, senators raised concerns when Biden&#8217;s Iran envoy, Robert Malley, skipped a classified briefing on negotiations for an updated Iran nuclear deal. As the key diplomat in talks with Tehran, his absence from Congress prompted inquiries from lawmakers and senior staff.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":1982820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1982819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1982819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1982819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1982819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1982820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1982819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1982819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1982819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}