Washington, April 28 (RHC)-- In the United States, the Pentagon has launched an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn after he ignored a warning by the Defense Intelligence Agency not to collect payments by foreign governments.

Despite the warning, Flynn accepted tens of thousands of dollars of fees from Russian sources, including RT, the Kremlin-funded television network. Flynn’s firm also collected more than a half-million dollars for lobbying work that may have benefited the government of Turkey.

On Capitol Hill, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Flynn appeared to break the law by accepting the payments.  Cummings said: "We have no evidence, zilch, that he obtained permission from the secretary of the Army and the secretary of state to accept any foreign government payments as required by law."

White House spokesperson Sean Spicer sought to deflect blame for the growing Michael Flynn scandal, noting the Obama administration granted Flynn security clearance in 2016.  Rep. Cummings fired back, accusing Spicer and the White House of covering up for Flynn.