Rep. Adam Schiff made a former request with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for a full briefing on Michal Flynn's resignation. | AP Photo Democrats fear Trump team will destroy Flynn documents

Top Democrats are trying to get their hands on documents related to ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn’s ouster, saying they’re worried the Trump White House may destroy evidence to protect the administration.

“What are the Republicans fearing in the truth?” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday. “I’m afraid they’re going to destroy the documents. But the fact that I would even say that, that level of trust has gone so far low in all of this.”


Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to White House lawyers Thursday demanding confirmation that all records related to communications between President Donald Trump's associates and Russia are preserved.

Separately, a pair of senior House Democrats requested a full briefing on the circumstances surrounding Flynn’s resignation, including unfettered access to transcripts of his conversations with Russian officials.

Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, made the request in a letter to acting National Intelligence Director Michael Dempsey on Thursday morning.

“We request a comprehensive intelligence briefing on Russia by February 28, 2017,” they wrote. “This briefing should include information about former Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Michael Flynn’s contacts with Russian officials, and should also provide unredacted transcripts of any intercepted conversations or communications he had with Russian officials.”

Pelosi and Schiff are demanding the briefing be open to House and Senate leaders and members of the intelligence committees of both chambers. Senate Judiciary leaders have also requested a briefing on Flynn and access to call transcripts.

Pelosi said it’s “not so unusual” to request unrestricted access to documents related to an investigation of an administration official. But she did say her request is unique in asking that all members of the intel committees, not just the leaders, get to review the files.

“If the full committee has to act upon these things, they should have access to the information,” she told reporters.

The Senate letter, signed by all Democrats on the judiciary committee, asks White House Counsel Donald McGahn to confirm the administration is preserving “all materials related to contacts between the Trump organization, Trump campaign, Trump transition team, or Trump administration, or others acting on their behalf, and Russian government officials or associates.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has also expressed concerns that the administration might destroy evidence related to Trump's ties to Moscow.

“There is real concern that administration, transition and campaign officials may try to cover up ties to Russia by deleting e-mails, texts and other records that could shine a light on those connections,” Schumer said Wednesday after an emergency meeting of Senate Democrats. “These records are likely to be the subject of these congressional investigations and must be preserved.”

House and Senate Democrats have called for an independent probe into Flynn’s resignation and any potential links between Russia and Trump. GOP leaders have resisted Democratic demands, saying ongoing investigations by the House and Senate intelligence committees into Russia's interference with the 2016 election is sufficient.

Flynn resigned Monday night amid a storm of controversy over conversations he had with a Russian ambassador about U.S. sanctions against Russia before Trump was even sworn into office. Other news reports have confirmed Trump associates were in frequent contact with Russian intelligence officials during the campaign.