Yates and former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. raised some other questions not directly related to Flynn.

Clapper testified that as far as he knew there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. He, however, wasn’t aware of the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation. In previous testimony, FBI Director James B. Comey — and then Yates on Monday — seemed to be unable to rule collusion out. Does the FBI in fact have evidence of collusion? When will the American people find out? Until then, a cloud will hang over the presidency.

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Clapper said he was unaware of any improper “unmasking.” If there is no evidence of misconduct (notwithstanding the GOP’s anti-Susan Rice venom), can we count this as one more diversion in the White House’s attempt to sidetrack the investigation and discredit intelligence professionals?

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) asked about the use of shell companies through which Russians can reach into the United States to influence our political system and economy. Yates and Clapper both agreed this was a problem and that U.S. efforts were lagging those in Europe to create greater transparency. Bipartisan anti-corruption legislation aimed at denying economic access to those who have fleeced their countrymen has been introduced, but do we also need to address the issue Sasse raised? Were shell companies used to funnel money or undertake other actions favorable to Donald Trump during the campaign?

Several senators hinted at the potential connection between Trump’s finances and Russian officials. When asked about Trump’s finances, Clapper and Yates begged off, citing the ongoing intelligence investigation. However, on the very day they were testifying, news reports recalled an instance in which Eric Trump told a sportswriter that the family’s golf courses “don’t rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia. … We’ve got some guys that really, really love golf, and they’re really invested in our programs. We just go there all the time.” At some point isn’t it essential to call President Trump’s sons and/or employees and associates to clarify if the president has been lying by denying any financial link to Russia?

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The biggest question, however, may have nothing to do with Yates, the Russians or the Trump campaign. After a performance in which every Republican except Sasse and subcommittee chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) seemed less concerned with Flynn and the Russia connection than with the leak (that resulted in a compromised national security adviser’s firing) or with Yates’s refusal to enforce the travel ban, one has to ask: How we can expect to see a thorough, nonpartisan investigation and definitive answers from Republicans running the hearings?