Former National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to a process crime of lying to FBI investigators about the content of a December 29th phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. The conversation occurred the same day that then-president Barack Obama announced sanctions against Russia for its interference in the 2016 election.
This is the same misleading information that led to the White House firing Michael Flynn.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has charged Flynn (full pdf below) with falsely telling FBI agents that he did not ask the ambassador “to refrain from escalating the situation” in response to the sanctions.
According to the plea, while being questioned by FBI agents on January 24, 2017, Flynn also lied when he claimed he could not recall a subsequent conversation with Kislyak, in which the ambassador told Flynn that the Putin regime had “chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of [Flynn’s] request.”
Furthermore, a week before the sanctions were imposed, Flynn had also spoken to Kislyak, asking the ambassador to delay or defeat a vote on a pending United Nations resolution. The criminal information charges that Flynn lied to the FBI by denying both that he’d made this request and that he’d spoken afterward with Kislyak about Russia’s response to it.
There was nothing wrong with the incoming national-security adviser’s having meetings with foreign counterparts or discussing such matters as the sanctions in those meetings. However, lying to the FBI is the process crime that has led to Flynn’s admissions herein:
If Flynn’s conversations with the Russian ambassador had evinced the existence of a quid pro quo collusion arrangement — that the Trump administration would ease or eliminate sanctions on Russia as a payback for Russia’s cyber-espionage against the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic party — it would have been completely appropriate, even urgently necessary, for the Obama Justice Department to investigate Flynn.
But if that had happened, Mueller would not be permitting Flynn to settle the case with a single count of lying to FBI agents. Instead, we would be looking at a major conspiracy indictment, and Flynn would be made to plead to far more serious offenses if he wanted a deal — cooperation in exchange for sentencing leniency. To the contrary, for all the furor, we have a small-potatoes plea in Flynn’s case — just as we did in Papadopoulos’s case.
It is becoming increasingly palpable that, whatever “collusion” means, there was no actionable, conspiratorial complicity by the Trump campaign in the Kremlin’s machinations. (read more)
I think Flynn ( and son ) were amateurs in the lobbying dept and thought it would be a quick gold mine (after years of Army salary ) and they could cash in like all the other players , but made many mistakes that enabled Mueller to squeeze him ( like they tried and failed with Manefort) . His deal was best for him and family . But I don’t see another “ crime” there unless another person fell into a perjury trap , since all contacts seem post election and proper and legitimate in themselves .
LikeLiked by 2 people
BTW Mueller knew about this process crime since the get go and waited and waited hmmm
LikeLiked by 1 person
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/362856-cnn-white-house-claims-obama-admin-approved-flynn-calls-with-russian
Someone with a brain ask Fake News Acosta who “THEY” are? Or should I use the /pol/ version – (((THEY))) [the make believe joos did it] **insert merchant meme**
Was going to state that Jared is next in line to be harassed – it’s pretty clear from multiple articles at The Hill that Jared is squarely in the cross-hairs for the next step in getting “closer” to Trump.
example from 11/21 story:
Fall on his sword is a good possibility. Maybe Flynn’s lie to Pence was intentional to get him fired. This also puts the attention on Flynn and away from the Trump Administration. Nobody at CTH or in other “acceptable” can understand why he lied.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I stupidly went to drudge… He’s all atwitter how Flynn thinks Trump abandoned him and he has to turn on others for a lighter sentence…. What’s happened to Drudge?
LikeLike
What’s happened to Drudge? Gosh, there are so many theories out there. My personal theory is that aliens in the form of pods grew alien people that replaced humans. Drudge doesn’t exist anymore. There is a pod person, instead.
I won’t go look at his propaganda site any more despite years of constant viewing throughout the day.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I think I’ll take your advice
LikeLiked by 1 person
Honestly, I kept wondering myself what happened to him. I still don’t know.
But it was SUCH an ingrained habit of mine to go look there for headlines. I kept reading people here talking about having the same experience I was: “I went to Drudge and WHAT HAPPENED?” and it just validated my own experience so I just finally stopped.
LikeLike
$$$ follow it.
LikeLike
Drudge is doing what he does best. Getting clicks.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’m not sure but it all started after he was told he could be shut down by the FEC chair
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/fec-chair-warns-that-conservative-media-like-drudge-report-and-sean-hannity-face-regulation-like-pacs/article/2548163
LikeLike
I’m not sure but it all started after he was told he could be shut down by the FEC chair
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/fec-chair-warns-that-conservative-media-like-drudge-report-and-sean-hannity-face-regulation-like-pacs/article/2548163
LikeLike
A process crime. The establishment POSs move heaven and earth to nail some poor slob with a process violation, as Hillary Clinton, who committed serial gross and obvious felonies related not only to the sorts of campaign collusions alleged against Trump but well within the realm of actionable treason, walks away unscathed. This is a sickness of unlawfulness raised to a level no society can tolerate and also survive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
FBI Whistle Blower Robyn Gritz Discusses Michael Flynn Guilty Plea
General Flynn needs to let the damn burst and tell us everything he knows.
LikeLike
Flash back:
Flashback:
EXCLUSIVE: FBI’s Own Political Terror Plot; Deputy Director and FBI Brass Secretly Conspired to Wage Coup Against Flynn & Trump | True Pundit
http://truepundit.com/exclusive-fbis-own-political-terror-plot-deputy-director-and-fbi-brass-secretly-conspired-to-wage-coup-against-flynn-trump-2/
“McCabe, the second highest ranking FBI official, emphatically declared at the invite-only gathering with raised voice: “Fxxk Flynn and then we Fxxk Trump,” according to direct sources. Many of his top lieutenants applauded and cheered such rhetoric. A scattered few did not.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
comey today – LOL what an assclown
LikeLike
The assclwn with probably an immunity deal from Mueller – professional courtesy of course ( sarcasm )
LikeLike
Howdy Doody wonder if your on that list General Flynn acquired from Amsterdam. Just saying.
LikeLike
wait – isn’t it established FACT that ROD HAM lied to the FBI?
jeff? anyone home? hellooooooooo?
LikeLike
amusing… like watching re-runs day in day out
LikeLike
lol you wound me ;O
but your trolling is entertaining…
wait – do you disagree with what i wrote?
why would the DOJ give clinton a pass on lying to the FBI, while we have to watch Sessions’ creation, that dope Mueller indicting people left and right for lying to the FBI….
something stinks, i’d say
LikeLike
why do we have reply options if its “trolling” to reply ? – purely rhetorical no need to reply unless you insist on returning the troll. 😜
re: clinton – i’ve posted all day long today about hillary lying to the FBI so there we both do agree. How ever we don’t agree on who’s job it is to see that she be brought to justice not to mention we are opposite sides of the fence that an investigation is indeed happening out of public view. .. but one day Howie one of us is going to be right that’s for sure.
Personally I don’t care how it happens or if i need to be patiently waiting.. so long as it happens
LikeLike
crap, i thought i was replying to howie… well Love.. it is what it is.
LikeLike
now, you’re confusing me with “howie”?
and then you were still confused AFTER i replied to you
good grief Deborah – put down the chardonay ‘o’o’o’
well – i guess our names are pretty similar ;O
and of course replying isn’t trolling per se…
when it’s a random, argumentative one embellished with personal slurs, i have to insist that that would be the definition of trolling
LikeLike
um…. easy to do when you both replied one after another..and I thought i clicked on Howie…. so no chardonnay required to jump up a line in notifications on word press… good grief is right.
LikeLike
Time to take a break and read SD’s latest. SD connects a lot of dots there.
Tip: Keep one window open at a time. Learned that lesson the hard way.
LikeLike
read it already.. only one window open always, the window wasn’t my prob.. it was the line of responses on one slide out and I jumped lines – still haven’t fixed my main computer, dusted off the laptop to use and it’s so foreign to me and has tiny little keys and a touch pad that at times i brush and it skips me about ha ha…. I can’t wait to get my pc fixed.. hate this laptop!
LikeLike
I am teasing. I am a two finger typist so my posts end up many posts below who I was responding to. Keep up the good discussion!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just so you know, according to Bill Nelson-Embarrasment from Florida and some Dem jack@## from VA, that if you lie to the FBI it proves collusion with Russia. So, I guess if the FBI asks you, “Did you have a soft drink yesterday between 9AM and 5 PM,” and you lie about it, you have actually colluded with Russia to get President Trump elected. Our media and government is full of asinine, evil, putrid people that do not care what happens to this country as long as they are in charge of it.
LikeLike
Look at whom Mueller has indicted and what they have been indicted for. I do not think this investigation is even headed towards Trump.
LikeLiked by 4 people
What’s the penalty for the FBI lying to the American people?
LikeLiked by 6 people
There were a lot of posts on this topic to read and comprehend. Although I hang on one of the lower branches here, I have to give my two cents worth. I believe ray76’s post at 5:08 pm hit the nail on the head: “Mueller is using legal processes for political purposes. He’s a political hit-man.”
I think Mueller will “get” Kushner on a similar charge and then wrap things up – probably saying he thinks there’s just circumstantial evidence the President colluded or obstructed justice but can’t find anything. That’ll keep Muh Russia in the news until the elections. His work will be done. Of course, he will give Comey immunity before he closes shop.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I agree, H&HC, that this is political. Mueller was tasked to look into Russian-Trump collusion regarding the election process – this is about him talking to the Russians after the elections. Totally outside of what Mueller’s supposed to be doing.
And there’s no evidence of quid pro quo with the Russians by the Trump administration. It looks like Flynn was just trying to deescalate a situation. My guess is the lying was to give others plausible deniability.
LikeLike
This is all to dominate the news cycle so democrats don’t get on the record about the Steinle verdict. Everybody knows it’s BS, even the ones making the most outrageous statements.
LikeLike
It also allows the media to change the “sexual harassment” narrative against mostly Democrats and congress. Big winner: Roy Moore, the next senator from Alabama.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i could care less that anyone lies to the FBI really (selective justice for some aside) –
that Flynn compromised the President and MAGA by lying to VP Pence ‘though, is another story
that he’s “cut a deal” with globalist psychopath operative Mueller to protect himself and his family, very possibly at the expense of the President and all those who follow him, brings to mind the word treasonous
that’s what it looks like anyhow…i’ll let it play out before making a final judgement on this guy
LikeLike
He is selling his house.
LikeLike
hopefully he’ll be hemmed up and taken to the big house…….just dreaming a little ‘o’
LikeLike
Gateway Pundit is reporting that the Obama Administration approved these calls. Now wouldn’t that be a hoot?
LikeLiked by 4 people
right, remember when Brennan lied to Congress? that was fine, but a presidential transition team doesn’t want to tell the politicized FBI what they are up to and this is to appal? fuhgeddaboutit
LikeLiked by 4 people
This double standard of law enforcement is absurd. Remember when Clintoon’s boy, Sandy Berger went into the National Archives and stuffed documents that made Clintoon look bad in his pants to take out and destroy? Was anything ever done about it? If it was, I never heard about it. Goes in and steals from the National Archives and no one even raises an eyebrow. But mis-communicating with the FBI is a criminal offense? Give me a break! Although I believe he is dead now, why wasn’t Berger wearing an orange jumpsuit in Leavenworth? Oh, that’s right, if you are a D-Rat, the law doesn’t apply no matter how big the crime. If you oppose the D-Rats, spiting on the sidewalk is a capital crime that will be prosecuted with no expense spared. Time for judicial and LEO reform in this country. No more privileged people getting away with crimes just because they have money and influence..
LikeLiked by 8 people
and if you are a Democrat presidential candidate, you can have special access emails on your home-brew server and nothing happens to you…
LikeLiked by 4 people
…even if above Top Secret…
LikeLiked by 4 people
There are so many that have lied over the past 9 years and yet they choose to go after Flynn because he is the one most closely tied to Trump. His service to Trump was much shorter than his service to Obama, right?
Does anyone believe that Trump, a president who has been scorned since he took the oath of office by Democrats and Rinos, was suppose to try and be Presidential without some contact with those familiar with DC, foreign relations, and politics (we all know he isn’t a politician)? I find it odd that a former Obama operative was trusted to work with the President and then the Russian thing went full blown. I think Trump was hit by a Soros/Obama/Clinton operation and they used Flynn as thier operative. The fact that he lied to Pence tells me he was swimming in fishy waters.
LikeLike
Why would he lie to FBI AND Pence, but was told to deal with the Russians.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I can’t figure out how anyone could be so stupid as to be questioned by the FBI about details of your phone calls with a Russian ambassador, and fail to assume they already knew every word you said. And as others have said, if an Obama administration official had ok’ed his contacts in advance (or even if they hadn’t), why would Flynn think lying about what he said was necessary? None of this adds up.
LikeLiked by 3 people
So, why the chickenshit charge?
LikeLike
It’s like getting caught speeding, and the cop gives you a ticket for no seat belt. But Flynn got that charge in return for cooperating. Cooperating was serving Kushner up on a platter.
LikeLike
So PT will pardon him. Imagine the outrage if he did that. Talking about heads exploding. That would almost be like him firing Muller.
LikeLike
The press is completely circumventing the obvious question. IF Flynn “lied”, why?
Because he assumed he could get away with it (meaning there would be no evidence) … think about it … the FBI MUST have been wiretapping him!
Of course he knew Kisliak’s every word would be recorded as a matter of course, but Flynn would have only been picked up in Kisliak’s conversations with him. Flynn probably figured being in Army intelligence and head of the DIA and DNI, he would surely not be specifically wiretapped! After all, the FBI needs a warrant to open an investigation – that can’t go wiretapping for fun. Wrong!
Think about the following, why did Flynn get singled out to begin with, with the enormous amount of minutiae in a fast-moving campaign? How did he become a target of interest? I think there’s a pretty good case pointing to the FBI already listening to him from the moment Trump’s camp called him.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Because Flynn knew where all the bones of the O administration were buried
LikeLiked by 7 people
Bingo
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ask McCabe
LikeLiked by 4 people
Huge breaking: AP now confirms it was McFarland, not Jared, who steered Flynn into the buzzsaw….
LikeLiked by 5 people
Oh my, there will be hearts breaking all over the country. The media screwed up again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
She was his deputy and could not order him to do anything. This stinks of McMaster and Co.
LikeLiked by 2 people
McFarland reportedly was advising Flynn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now now, you sound like BB and Bannon/s
LikeLike
But it wasnt illegal to speak with the Russians to begin with. And the FBI cleared his conversations. This whole thing is stupid.
LikeLiked by 6 people
i haven’t been able to read all the comments but i have a question. Is Flynn now obligated to “testify” now. isn’t this charge based on previous testimony? is this just spin?
LikeLike
DIA only – typo.
Kind of makes you wonder who else might have been wiretapped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has charged Flynn (full pdf below) with falsely telling FBI agents that he did not ask the ambassador “to refrain from escalating the situation” in response to the sanctions.
And how would they know that is false? Because they were spying on Trump and Co., while pretending to surveil foreigners?? How do they know Mueller misremembered what he said? They don’t.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The illegal spying? I am really confused.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well i just donated to the Flynn legal defense fund. I heard him give a speech once, and it was free. So now I’m paying retroactively, and thinking back on it, I’d have paid as much as I donated to hear him anyway.
I’m about sick and tired of people like him (not saying he’s perfect) getting crucified while people like HRC skate. I hope I bought him a good ten minutes of lawyer time.
LikeLiked by 6 people
Please cite the contribution method later down the thread so no one adds to the fake sites.
BTW, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Good gift to say Merry Christmas to the Flynn family.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Good point.
https://mikeflynndefensefund.org
LikeLiked by 2 people
Anyone wishing to contribute by mail can send a check or money order — payable to “Michael T. Flynn Legal Defense Fund,” — to the following address:
Barbara Redgate, Trustee
PO Box 711533
San Diego, CA 92171
LikeLike
I’m curious…
If Kushner instructed Flynn to make the calls that the FBI says he lied about making, why wouldn’t Pence know about them?
LikeLiked by 1 person
EXACTLY my question which I wouldn’t ask, so thank you. Pence was on the transition team and the back and forth was WITH the transition team so there seems no reason that Pence wouldn’t have known about the whole scenario.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should have read a little further down before commenting as it appears this is incorrect information I read in a comment here at CTH earlier.
LikeLike
The U.S. District judge handling this is Rudolph Contreras. Contreras was also appointed to the FISA Court starting May 19, 2016. It was in June of that year (a month later) that the FBI, using the Steele Dossier and intel received from FusionGPS, acquired a FISA warrant through duplicitous means. Of the 11 judges that sit on the FISA Court what are the odds Contreras was the one who signed off on the “wiretapping” of Trump? Is there any way to find out or is that sealed? Would this prejudice him (requiring recusal), or would he want to make it right knowing the FBI duped him? Many questions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I’ve learned one thing from all of this: I will never speak to law enforcement about anything. My canned response will be, “Talk to my attorney.”
LikeLiked by 4 people
BREAKING: Obama Admin Approved General Flynn Calls with Russian Ambassador
Then they set him up
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/12/breaking-obama-admin-approved-general-flynn-calls-russian-ambassador/
But
FLASHBACK: Obama Campaign Conspired with Hamas and FARC Terrorists and Iranian Regime Before 2008 Election
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/12/flashback-obama-campaign-conspired-hamas-farc-terrorists-iranian-regime-2008-election/
Whats the statute of limitations for THIS?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Looks like “Obama” is the one who got set up.
I think Muh Russia just exploded in his face.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good for Dan Bongino, that tweet is gonna leave a mark 😂😂😂
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/12/ex-secret-service-agent-explodes-comey-quoting-scripture-flynns-guilty-plea/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bongino should release ALL the dirt he has on Hillary–but maybe he’s waiting as this may likely prejudice a trial
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, there’s nothing wrong with Sessions, you’d have to be an anti – Trump troll to even suggest such a thing…..
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/12/failed-compromised-ag-jeff-sessions-goes-tucker-carlson-refuses-condemn-mueller-witch-hunt-video/
LikeLike
Interesting that Comey, under oath, testified to congress that Flynn did not mislead the FBI. That one would have been an interesting bit of testimony at a trial. So, either there is something not included in the pleas bargain documents or Mueller may be wrapping up by claiming his symbolic scalps.
LikeLike
Hillary lied and lied,she bleech bit her computer!! Yet they are worried about Flynn??? Give me a break!!
LikeLiked by 4 people
None of this makes any sense. Why would Flynn lie about talking to Russia for the purpose of de-escalating tensions with the present administration, a legal and proper action for the incoming National Security Advisor? This communication supposedly was cleared as a courtesy with the Obama administration, so why was it even investigated? And even if he “lied”, how is this a crime? Is every government official obligated to report to the FBI about every policy initiatives undertaken in their official capacity?
What in God’s name do Democrats and Mueller think they’re doing? If this travesty stands, every government official will be held to account for their policy judgements by the FBI and prosecuted if they’re not sufficiently forthcoming. If the Democrats believe it will never boomerang on them, they haven’t been paying attention to the sexual harassment scandals.
LikeLike
Crooked Hillary lied to the FBI the senate the congress, the american people on and on yet that are going after Flynn???? Its the twilight zone even rod sterling would be amazed!!!
LikeLike
Hmm I wonder . Is this all about getting Obama under oath to testify ? #FollowTheWhiteRabbit
LikeLike
A lie is a lie. No debating. All I am interested in is TRUTH! I don’t care about the why’s and what-fors. Just the truth. Everything in this country seems to be so confusing over the last few years. I can remember when the term KISS was a good thing! (Keep It Simple Stupid!)
LikeLike
Trump tweet:
“I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI … It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!”.
This is very concerning, did he just commit obstruction of justice it seems to meet the definition with his tweet.
Not good hope he can explain this because I support him wholeheartedly.
LikeLike