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Donald Trump 'strongly considering full pardon' for Michael Flynn Donald Trump 'strongly considering full pardon' for Michael Flynn
(about 1 hour later)
President tweets support for first national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBIPresident tweets support for first national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI
Donald Trump is “strongly considering a full pardon” for Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his dealings with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office.Donald Trump is “strongly considering a full pardon” for Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his dealings with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office.
Flynn, who has not been sentenced, cut a deal as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow. Flynn cut a deal as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow.
He initially cooperated with the investigation, which concluded last year without establishing criminal conspiracy but did lay out extensive evidence of contact between Trump aides and Russia and possible obstruction of justice by the president himself.He initially cooperated with the investigation, which concluded last year without establishing criminal conspiracy but did lay out extensive evidence of contact between Trump aides and Russia and possible obstruction of justice by the president himself.
A number of Trump aides and associates have been convicted and sentenced in cases arising from Mueller’s work. Flynn, who was fired as national security adviser after only 24 days in the role, has not yet been sentenced but a number of Trump aides and associates have been convicted and jailed in cases arising from Mueller’s work.
Flynn, who was fired as national security adviser after only 24 days in the role, faces possible prison time. Flynn faces possible prison time.
He sought to withdraw his guilty plea in January, “because of the government’s bad faith, vindictiveness and breach of the plea agreement”.He sought to withdraw his guilty plea in January, “because of the government’s bad faith, vindictiveness and breach of the plea agreement”.
His change in tack came after he hired a new lawyer, Fox News pundit Sidney Powell, a longtime critic of the Mueller inquiry who has pedaled numerous false conspiracy theories on the investigation and other Trump policies and issues in prime time interviews.
On Sunday, Trump tweeted: “So now it is reported that, after destroying his life & the life of his wonderful family (and many others also), the FBI, working in conjunction with the Justice Department, has ‘lost’ the records of General Michael Flynn. How convenient.On Sunday, Trump tweeted: “So now it is reported that, after destroying his life & the life of his wonderful family (and many others also), the FBI, working in conjunction with the Justice Department, has ‘lost’ the records of General Michael Flynn. How convenient.
“I am strongly considering a Full Pardon!”“I am strongly considering a Full Pardon!”
It was not immediately clear which report or reports Trump was referring to. Although Trump did not cite specific reports, Powell had tweeted hours earlier an unsubstantiated claim that “#FBI still hiding evidence of #Flynn‘s innocence”.
Powell, who has also repeatedly retweeted antisemitic conspiracy theories, has contended in rambling legal filings that FBI officials altered an interview summary with Flynn and conspired to prevent him from obtaining legal counsel before he was interviewed.
Trump’s use of the presidential pardon power has proved vastly controversial.Trump’s use of the presidential pardon power has proved vastly controversial.