The letter by Susan Rice’s lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler (pictured), letter was a response to Sens. Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham, who had inquired about an email, which Rice sent herself just hours before the Obama administration left office. | Charles Dharapak/AP Photo Lawyer for Susan Rice: Obama administration 'justifiably concerned' about sharing intel with Trump team

A lawyer for President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, Susan Rice, told Congress late Friday that the outgoing administration was fearful of sharing classified intelligence with members of the incoming Trump team, especially Rice’s successor, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

In a letter to lawmakers, Rice’s lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler, said Rice drafted a Jan. 20, 2017, email to herself on the advice of White House counsel to memorialize the outgoing administration’s reluctance.


“President Obama and his national security team were justifiably concerned about potential risks to the Nation’s security from sharing highly classified information about Russia with certain members of the Trump transition team, particularly Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn,” Ruemmler wrote.

Ruemmler’s letter was a response to GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who had inquired about the email that Rice sent herself just hours before the Obama administration left office.

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Ruemmler said Rice's conversation with Obama included no discussion of a disputed dossier alleging illicit contact between the Trump camp and Russia — written by a former British spy — that Republicans have alleged was misused by the FBI to spy on a Trump associate.