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Trump’s ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn charged with lying to FBI Trump’s ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn charged with lying to FBI
(35 minutes later)
Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn was expected to plead guilty on Friday morning to making false statements to FBI agents in their investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn was expected to plead guilty on Friday morning to making false statements to FBI agents in their investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
About four days after Trump became president, Flynn made “materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to law enforcement about a meeting he had with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, according to court documents.About four days after Trump became president, Flynn made “materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to law enforcement about a meeting he had with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, according to court documents.
Flynn was scheduled to appear at a plea hearing at 10.30am in Washington DC.Flynn was scheduled to appear at a plea hearing at 10.30am in Washington DC.
Flynn is at the center of a broader investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into links between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives. It had appeared that Mueller’s team was seeking a deal of some kind to win Flynn’s cooperation in that investigation.Flynn is at the center of a broader investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into links between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives. It had appeared that Mueller’s team was seeking a deal of some kind to win Flynn’s cooperation in that investigation.
Flynn falsely denied to investigators that he had asked Kislyak in a meeting during the presidential transition to refrain from escalating the situation after the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia, and falsely denied that he had asked the ambassador in a separate meeting to delay a vote on a UN resolution, according to court documents.Flynn falsely denied to investigators that he had asked Kislyak in a meeting during the presidential transition to refrain from escalating the situation after the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia, and falsely denied that he had asked the ambassador in a separate meeting to delay a vote on a UN resolution, according to court documents.
Flynn further failed to recall being told by Kislyak that Russia had decided to moderate its response to the new sanctions at Flynn’s request, the documents said.Flynn further failed to recall being told by Kislyak that Russia had decided to moderate its response to the new sanctions at Flynn’s request, the documents said.
Flynn, who had failed to declare payments from Turkish and Russian sources and who was reportedly under investigation for an alleged role in a kidnapping plot, appeared vulnerable to much more serious charges than making false statements.Flynn, who had failed to declare payments from Turkish and Russian sources and who was reportedly under investigation for an alleged role in a kidnapping plot, appeared vulnerable to much more serious charges than making false statements.
Anne Milgram, who has worked closely in the past with Mueller and his team as a former attorney general for the state of New Jersey and former federal prosecutor, said that prosecutors’ decision to charge Flynn with a relatively minor offense indicated that a deal for Flynn to cooperate with prosecutors had been struck.Anne Milgram, who has worked closely in the past with Mueller and his team as a former attorney general for the state of New Jersey and former federal prosecutor, said that prosecutors’ decision to charge Flynn with a relatively minor offense indicated that a deal for Flynn to cooperate with prosecutors had been struck.
“And that was very quick,” Milgram said in an email.“And that was very quick,” Milgram said in an email.
The White House declined to comment on the news Friday morning but said the president’s lead lawyer in the matter would address the news.
“The White House is not going to respond to this,” deputy press secretary Raj Shah was quoted by CNN as saying. “Ty Cobb will at some point.”
The Trump campaign has denied coordinating with Russia during and after the presidential campaign, even as evidence of at least 19 in-person meetings between the two sides has emerged and Mueller’s team has uncovered high-level conversations inside the campaign about the contacts.The Trump campaign has denied coordinating with Russia during and after the presidential campaign, even as evidence of at least 19 in-person meetings between the two sides has emerged and Mueller’s team has uncovered high-level conversations inside the campaign about the contacts.
Previously the special counsel has charged former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and aide Richard Gates III, and former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pled guilty to making false statements, a similar charge to Flynn.
But Trump had seemed especially protective of Flynn, who unlike the others was part of his inner circle during the campaign, frequently introducing Trump at campaign events and working closely with members of Trump’s family including son Donald Trump Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!
Former FBI director James Comey, whom Trump fired in May, said that the president had asked him in February to drop an investigation into Flynn’s activities – the very investigation in which Flynn had, according to the charges, lied about a month earlier.
“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” Comey quoted Trump as saying. “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
Flynn resigned after 24 days as national security adviser when US surveillance records came to light indicating that he had discussed sanctions with Kislyak, despite a public denial at the time by vice president Mike Pence that such a discussion had taken place.Flynn resigned after 24 days as national security adviser when US surveillance records came to light indicating that he had discussed sanctions with Kislyak, despite a public denial at the time by vice president Mike Pence that such a discussion had taken place.