Tag: Michael Flynn

Exclusive: Obama says in private call that ‘rule of law is at risk’ in Michael Flynn case

WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama, talking privately to ex-members of his administration, said Friday that the “rule of law is at risk” in the wake of what he called an unprecedented move by the Justice Department to drop charges against former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.

In the same chat, a tape of which was obtained by Yahoo News, Obama also lashed out at the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as “an absolute chaotic disaster.”

“The news over the last 24 hours I think has been somewhat downplayed — about the Justice Department dropping charges against Michael Flynn,” Obama said in a web talk with members of the Obama Alumni Association. Continue reading.

Here’s what Bill Barr doesn’t want you to remember about Michael Flynn

AlterNet logoOn October 7, 2016, the intelligence community issued a statement confirming that it was the Russian government that “directed the recent compromises of e-mails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from US political organizations.” Then, on January 6, 2017, they released an assessment of both Russian activities and intentions in their efforts to interfere the 2016 election. Here is their key finding:

We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump. We have high confidence in these judgments.

Upon completion of that assessment, two issues remained: (1) the question of whether the Trump campaign had conspired with the Russian government and (2) how to respond to an adversary’s attempt to interfere in an election. The first question was eventually assigned to special counsel Robert Mueller and, on the second, President Obama ordered sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the interference efforts, shut down two Russian compounds in the U.S., and expelled more than 30 Russian intelligence operatives.

Dropping of Flynn Case Heightens Fears of Justice Dept. Politicization

New York Times logoAcross the country, rank-and-file prosecutors cringed at another extraordinary intervention by Attorney General William P. Barr.

WASHINGTON — President Trump and his supporters on Friday praised Attorney General William P. Barr’s decision to drop the prosecution of Michael T. Flynn, even as career law enforcement officials warned that the action set a disturbing precedent and Democrats accused the administration of further politicizing the Justice Department.

“Yesterday was a BIG day for Justice in the USA,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. “Congratulations to General Flynn, and many others. I do believe there is MUCH more to come! Dirty Cops and Crooked Politicians do not go well together!”

But some rank-and-file prosecutors said they saw Mr. Barr’s action as politically motivated and damaging to the department’s credibility. Several compared the move to his forcing prosecutors in February to reduce a standard sentencing recommendation for Roger J. Stone Jr., a friend of Mr. Trump, saying it would leave a lasting mark on the department. Continue reading.

Flynn decision cheered by Trump and the right, as critics decry it as an attack on the rule of law

Washington Post logoThe Justice Department’s decision to drop its prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Thursday was greeted as a triumph by President Trump and his allies, who have argued for years that Flynn was set up — but with dire alarm by Trump’s opponents, who saw the move as an attack on the rule of law.

The extreme division mirrored three years of partisan combat over how the FBI handled Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, an investigation that shadowed much of Trump’s time in office.

And the circumstances of the development — delivered by a loyalist attorney general after a key prosecutor withdrew from a case in which Flynn had previously acknowledged guilt on multiple occasions — appeared only to harden positions. Continue reading.

Don’t Forget, Michael Flynn Pleaded Guilty. Twice.

New York Times logoEven President Trump has said his former national security adviser lied to the F.B.I.

It can be hard to recall, since so many members of President Trump’s inner circle have been indicted, convicted of federal crimes and even sent to prison, but the first felon to emerge from this administration was Michael Flynn.

Mr. Flynn, who served less than a month as the national security adviser before resigning in disgrace, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to F.B.I. investigators about his communications with the Russian ambassador.

When asked about the plea at the time, Mr. Trump said, “I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the vice president and the F.B.I.” Continue reading.

Trump spews a disturbing and angry rant about the Obama administration over the Flynn case

AlterNet logoPresident Donald Trump is baselessly accusing the Obama administration of “treason,”  following the news the Dept. of Justice has dropped all charges against his former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, despite Flynn having pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

“The Obama administration Justice Department was a disgrace, and they got caught, they got caught,” Trump claimed, which is false. “Very dishonest people, but much more than – it’s treason, it’s treason.”

Trump (video below) repeatedly called the Obama DOJ “scum,” “human scum,” and “dishonest crooked people.” Continue reading.

Justice moves to drop case against Flynn

The Hill logoThe Department of Justice (DOJ) is moving to drop its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn for charges of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia shortly before President Trump took office.

Flynn had entered into an agreement in 2017 to cooperate with DOJ and plead guilty, but he had since withdrawn from the plea agreement and was fighting the charges.

Documents released last month have fueled conservative claims that the FBI was out to entrap Flynn, who was ousted from the White House after misleading Vice President Pence and others about his contacts with the Russian ambassador. Continue reading.

Understanding the twists and turns in the Michael Flynn case

Washington Post logoMichael Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency who briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in 2017.

But now that Flynn is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea, Trump and his close allies have turned the case into a cause celebre. In the latest twist, they argue that documents released last week show that Flynn was set up by FBI agents.

Flynn’s case has dragged on so long, readers may need a refresher course on how it started and what the Justice Department and the courts have said in rejecting conspiracy theories that Flynn was the victim of a “deep state” plot. Continue reading.

FBI notes on Michael Flynn unlikely to convince judge he was entrapped, legal experts say

Washington Post logoPresident Trump and his supporters seized on newly disclosed documents to argue Thursday that his former aide Michael Flynn was railroaded into pleading guilty as part of the FBI investigation into the 2016 campaign and Russian interference, but legal experts said the material is unlikely to convince a judge that agents entrapped the former national security adviser.

The documents released Wednesday evening include notes showing FBI officials discussed in advance how to handle a January 2017 interview with Flynn about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the United States before Trump took office. Three people familiar with the matter said the notes were written by E.W. Priestap, the former assistant director of the FBI’s counterintelligence division. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because Flynn’s case is still being weighed by the courts. A lawyer for Priestap did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Flynn’s lawyers, Sidney Powell and Jesse Binnall, have called the materials “stunning” evidence showing Flynn was “set up and framed by corrupt agents at the top of the FBI.” Continue reading.

Trump Attacks Flynn Inquiry Amid New Revelations on F.B.I.

New York Times logoThe bureau was on the verge of closing its investigation into Michael Flynn in early 2017 when new evidence prompted agents to keep it open, newly disclosed court papers showed.

WASHINGTON — President Trump revived his attacks on law enforcement on Thursday as a pair of former advisers, Roger J. Stone Jr. and Michael T. Flynn, renewed their fights against their criminal convictions.

Mr. Flynn’s lawyers accused the F.B.I. and the Justice Department of misconduct, citing newly unsealed documents showing that F.B.I. officials were about to close the investigation into their client in early 2017 until new evidence prompted them to keep it open.

Mr. Stone appealed his conviction to the federal court of appeals for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced in February to 40 months in prison for obstructing a congressional investigation, lying to federal investigators and tampering with a witness. Continue reading.