▁an ▁important ▁figure ▁at ▁Put in ' s ▁table ▁start led " ▁U . S . ▁officials . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁festiv ities , ▁F lyn n ▁gave ▁a ▁talk ▁on ▁world ▁affairs ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁paid ▁at ▁least ▁$ 4 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁F lyn n ▁def ended ▁the ▁R T ▁payment ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Michael ▁Is ik off . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁ranking ▁Democratic ▁members ▁on ▁six ▁House ▁comm itte es ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ▁James ▁Matt is , ▁request ing ▁a ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁investigation ▁into ▁F lyn n ' s ▁connection ▁to ▁R T . ▁The ▁legisl ators ▁expressed ▁concern ▁that ▁F lyn n ▁had ▁viol ated ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Em ol uments ▁Cla use ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Constitution ▁by ▁accepting ▁money ▁from ▁R T . ▁ ▁A ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁report ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Int elligence ▁Community ▁character ized ▁R T ▁as ▁" The ▁Kre ml in ' s ▁principal ▁international ▁propag anda ▁out let " ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁R T ▁America ▁is ▁set ▁up ▁as ▁an ▁autonom ous ▁non pro fit ▁organization ▁" to ▁avoid ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Ag ents ▁Reg istration ▁Act ". ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁retired ▁military ▁intelligence ▁officer , ▁F lyn n ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁obtain ▁prior ▁permission ▁from ▁the ▁Def ense ▁Department ▁and ▁the ▁State ▁Department ▁before ▁receiving ▁any ▁money ▁from ▁foreign ▁govern ments . ▁F lyn n