MICHAEL FLYNN RESIGNS

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: CNN

URL: http://www.cnn.com/


CNN HEADLINE ONLY DETAILS WILL FOLLOW

[SirLinksALot]

TWEET FROM BRIAN STELTER, CNN HOST OF @ReliableSources:

https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/831351361316986880

[SirLinksALot]

MORE HERE: http://www.kmbc.com/article/michael-flynn-resigns-amid-russia-controversy/8777525

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigns over contacts with Russia


Embattled White House national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned Monday night, two sources tell CNN.

His departure came just after reports surfaced the Justice Department warned the Trump administration last month that Flynn misled administration officials regarding his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States and was potentially vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians.

The move comes less than a month into the job, making him one of the shortest-serving senior presidential advisers in modern history.

The sudden exit marks the most public display yet of disarray at the highest levels of the new administration, which has faced repeated questions over a slew of controversies and reports of infighting among senior aides during its first three weeks.

The shakeup now leaves Trump without one of his closest and longest-serving advisers. Flynn had counseled Trump on foreign policy and national security matters since early in the 2016 presidential race.

Flynn was not able to definitively refute a Washington Post story late last week that his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak included communication about the sanctions. It is illegal for unauthorized private citizens to negotiate with foreign governments on behalf of the US.

The controversy intensified after the report put Pence and several senior White House advisers in an uncomfortable position, as they had denied in TV interviews weeks earlier that Flynn discussed sanctions with the ambassador. Some administration officials said Flynn must have misled Pence and others.

"The knives are out," a White House official told CNN on Friday, noting that "there's a lot of unhappiness about this."

Many expressed concern at the idea that Flynn, a retired lieutenant general who headed the Defense Intelligence Agency, would discuss sanctions with a foreign official whose calls are regularly monitored by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

A US official confirmed to CNN on Friday that Flynn and Kislyak did speak about sanctions, among other matters, during a December call.

But after the call was made public, Pence told CBS News on January 15 that Flynn did not talk with Kislyak about the sanctions, which the Obama administration recently levied due to Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 elections.

"They did not discuss anything having to do with the United States' decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia," Pence told CBS News.

On Friday, an aide close to the national security adviser told CNN that Flynn could not rule out that he spoke about sanctions on the call.

The White House official blamed much of the outcry against Flynn on a Washington culture always in search of a scalp, but people within Trump's orbit did little to defend Flynn during appearances on Sunday news shows.

Stephen Miller, White House policy director, was asked directly about Flynn's future on a number of Sunday talk shows. Miller responded by saying he was not the appropriate official to ask.

"I don't have any answers today," Miller said in response to questions about whether Flynn misled the vice president. "I don't have any information one way or another to add anything to the conversation."

CNN's Jim Acosta and Dan Merica contributed to this report.

[ABX]

Now this (linked from the CNN resignation banner).

White House was warned Flynn could be blackmailed by Russia

The Justice Department warned the Trump administration last month that Michael Flynn misled administration officials regarding his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States and was potentially vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/politics/michael-flynn-justice-department-warning/index.html

[corbe]

   Things sure move fast, cause 3 hours ago, he was fine.

KELLYANNE CONWAY: Yes, General Flynn does enjoy the full confidence of the president. This is a big leap for General Flynn, he is the point of contact for many of these foreign visits. If you look at the official schedule today we had the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau here. Obviously for bilateral meetings. On Wednesday, we're welcoming [Prime Minister of Israel] Benjamin Netanyhau here to the White House.

 And behind the scenes they are doing a number of different meetings where they are doing trade, they are talking about terrorism, security, the fact that Canada and the U.S. are very important neighbors to each other and will continue to be and obviously that the National Security Advisor is a point person in those discussions.

 General Flynn has said that he cannot recall and that he had about 30 phone calls with leaders at the time and since then 70, I am told, with different leaders. And I will just leave it at that.

[SirLinksALot]

MORE HERE: National security adviser Flynn resigns, reports say

http://www.ktre.com/story/32414943/national-security-adviser-flynn-resigns-reports-say

(RNN) - Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the president's national security adviser, has resigned, CNN is reporting.

On Friday, The Washington Post reported that Flynn addressed sanctions against Russia in a call with Russian's ambassador to the U.S.

The report contradicted Trump officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, who vouched for Flynn in a television interview based off information given to him by Flynn.

Flynn later apologized to Pence, accord to the Associated Press.

Flynn admitted to some administration officials that sanctions may have come up in the calls, which came in at the same time that the Obama administration was slapping penalties on Russia for election-related hacking.

The AP reported that Justice Department officials told the White House weeks ago that Flynn's contacts could leave him in a "compromised position."

Flynn was chosen by Donald Trump for the national security adviser position shortly after the election, and he bypassed Senate confirmation, taking on the job immediately after inauguration. 

He was one of Trump’s biggest backers and spoke on his behalf at the Republican National Convention.

Flynn worked in the Obama Administration and was considered as a running mate for Trump before the billionaire selected Mike Pence.

The retired three-star general, a registered Democrat, served as Trump's adviser on Islamic State, Iran and the military. His 2012 to 2014 tenure at the Defense Intelligence Agency, which functions as the main foreign U.S. military espionage organization, was troubled, and he butted heads with the Obama administration before being forced out.

A 33-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Flynn served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was commissioned in 1981 as a second lieutenant in military intelligence.

While head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, he was also commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and the chair of the Military Intelligence Board.

Flynn advised Gen. Stanley McChrystal in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his Leading Authorities speaking biography. He also served as the assistant director of National Intelligence for Partner Engagement; the director of intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command; and the senior intelligence adviser for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen.

He held assignments supporting the Cold War; operations Urgent Fury, Uphold Democracy, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Thunder II, Desert Fox, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and other classified operations.

Flynn is the author of The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies.

He graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1981.

[Norm Lenhart]

"The retired three-star general, a registered Democrat,"

There's the problem.

[corbe]

   Even the Ruskies tried to save his hide with an earlier statement denying sanctions were discussed. 
   That still leaves at least Bannon and Tillerson as possible contacts within the administration.
   Chock 1 up for Pelosi, who was calling for his resignation/firing this morning.

[Norm Lenhart]

   Even the Ruskies tried to save his hide with an earlier statement denying sanctions were discussed. 
   That still leaves at least Bannon and Tillerson as possible contacts within the administration.
   Chock 1 up for Pelosi, who was calling for his resignation/firing this morning.

Yea but she only did that because he left the reservation and went to work for a non DNC member. It's like a union. They call out the kneecappers when you don't stay loyal.

[TomSea]

- BREAKING NEWS -
TRUMP'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MICHAEL FLYNN RESIGNS; TRUMP NAMES LT. GEN. JOSEPH KEITH KELLOGG JR. AS ACTING NATIONAL SECURTIY ADVISER

Fox.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Flynn brought all this on himself and the President did the right thing.  An advisor cannot lie to his/her bosses.  Period.

[Right_in_Virginia]

To: Steven W. Zeke Miller ‏@ZekeJMiller · 1m1 minute ago  More BREAKING: POTUS names Keith Kellogg as acting National Security Advisor

“Keith Kellogg Jr., known as Keith Kellogg, is a retired general officer in the United States Army. President Donald Trump put Kellogg in charge of the presidential transition agency action team for defense.” -- Wikepedia

[corbe]

  You'd think of all people the head of the NSA would 'know' his conversations with the Ruskies were being recorded, he is indeed a DEM bulb.

[Norm Lenhart]

  You'd think of all people the head of the NSA would 'know' his conversations with the Ruskies were being recorded, he is indeed a DEM bulb.

Two possibilities:

1: He is a Dem so he's an idiot by definition that got promoted up through the ranks on the Peter Principle as most Democrats do.

2: He's a Dem so maybe it was his job to sabotage a non DNC president. They often put party before country. Sorry, did I say 'often'? I meant "ALWAYS".

Being a Dem it really could go either way.

[Right_in_Virginia]

FWIW at this point:

Fox News - 3m3 minutes ago UPDATE: U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Bob Harward is the leading candidate to replace Flynn as national security adviser, @johnrobertsFox reports

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=338

[Frank Cannon]

This guy has been a loose cannon and all around moron for a while. Glad he's gone.

[EC]

Flynn brought all this on himself and the President did the right thing.  An advisor cannot lie to his/her bosses.  Period.

Zero disagreement here. Right thing to do.

[EC]

Two possibilities:

1: He is a Dem so he's an idiot by definition that got promoted up through the ranks on the Peter Principle as most Democrats do.

2: He's a Dem so maybe it was his job to sabotage a non DNC president. They often put party before country. Sorry, did I say 'often'? I meant "ALWAYS".

Being a Dem it really could go either way.

It's 1.

Though it wasn't really the Peter Principle at work - he's a smooth bastard, very charming, and very good at stealing credit.

(Yes, I have worked with - or rather despite - him)

[Chosen Daughter]

"The retired three-star general, a registered Democrat,"

There's the problem.

Because Trump is a Democrat.

[geronl]

He saved the administration a lot of wasted time if this had to go through a whole ethics process

[Suppressed]

Because Trump is a Democrat.

I'm so glad for this. I was so sick of winning!

The humiliating immigration-ban defeat had helped a bit, but it just wasn't enough.

[geronl]

   Chock 1 up for Pelosi, who was calling for his resignation/firing this morning.

People on the inside probably knew it was coming, she probably knew it when she "called for it"

[EasyAce]

Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn resigns

By JULIE PACE, ERIC TUCKER and JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned late Monday night,
following reports that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. His departure upends
Trump's senior team after less than one month in office.

In a resignation letter, Flynn said he gave Vice President Mike Pence and others "incomplete information" about his calls with Russia's
ambassador to the U.S. The vice president, apparently relying on information from Flynn, initially said the national security adviser
had not discussed sanctions with the Russian envoy, though Flynn later conceded the issue may have come up.

Trump named retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as the acting national security adviser. Kellogg had previously been appointed the National
Security Council chief of staff and advised Trump during the campaign. Trump is also considering former CIA Director David Petraeus
and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a U.S. Navy SEAL, for the post, according to a senior administration official.

The Trump team's account of Flynn's discussions with the Russian envoy changed repeatedly over several weeks, including the number
of contacts, the dates of those contacts and ultimately, the content of the conversations.

Late last month, the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn could be in a compromised position as a result of the
contradictions between the public depictions of the calls and what intelligence officials knew to be true based on recordings of the
conversations, which were picked up as part of routine monitoring of foreign officials communications in the U.S.

A U.S. official told The Associated Press that Flynn was in frequent contact with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day the Obama
administration slapped sanctions on Russia for election-related hacking, as well as at other times during the transition.

An administration official and two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the Justice Department warnings on the condition
of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. It was unclear when Trump and Pence learned about
the Justice Department outreach.

The Washington Post was the first to report the communication between former acting attorney general Sally Yates, a holdover from
the Obama administration, and the Trump White House. The Post also first reported last week that Flynn had indeed spoken about
sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

Trump never voiced public support for Flynn after that initial report, but continued to keep his national security adviser close. Flynn
spent the weekend at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and was in the president's daily briefing and calls with foreign leaders Monday. He
sat in the front row of Trump's news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday afternoon.

White House officials sent contradictory messages about Flynn's status throughout the day. Counselor Kellyanne Conway said Trump
had "full confidence" in Flynn, while spokesman Sean Spicer said the president was "evaluating the situation" and consulting with
Pence about his conversations with the national security adviser.

Asked whether the president had been aware that Flynn might have planned to discuss sanctions with the Russian envoy, Spicer said,
"No, absolutely not."

Flynn's discussions with the Russian raised questions about whether he offered assurances about the incoming administration's new
approach. Such conversations would breach diplomatic protocol and possibly violate the Logan Act, a law aimed at keeping citizens from
conducting diplomacy.

Administration officials said misleading Pence was ultimately Flynn's downfall, though they insisted he resigned and was not fired by
Trump.

Flynn was spotted near the Oval Office just after 10 p.m. Monday. As uncertainty about his future swirled, several of the president's
top advisers, including chief of staff Reince Priebus and counsel Don McGahn, ducked in and out of late-night meetings in the West
Wing.

California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Flynn's resignation "does not end questions
over his contacts with the Russians." He said the White House has yet to be forthcoming about whether Flynn was acting at the behest
of the president or others.

Flynn's resignation comes as Trump and his top advisers seek to steady the White House after a rocky start. The president, who seeks
input from a wide range of business associates, friends and colleagues, has been asking people their opinions on his senior team,
including Spicer and chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Advisers have privately conceded that the White House spit out too many disparate messages in the first few weeks, though they also
note that the president's own tweets sometimes muddy the day's plans before most of the White House staff has arrived for work.

Trump voiced support for Priebus Monday, saying the chief of staff was doing, "not a good job, a great job." But he did not make a
similar show of support for his national security adviser.

Over the weekend, Trump told associates he was troubled by Flynn's situation, but did not say whether he planned to ask him to step
down, according to a person who spoke with him recently. Flynn was a loyal Trump supporter during the campaign, but he was viewed
skeptically by some in the administration's national security circles, in part because of his ties to Russia.

In 2015, Flynn was paid to attend a gala dinner for Russia Today, a Kremlin-backed television station, and sat next to Russian President
Vladimir Putin during the event.

Flynn apologized to Pence about the matter on Friday, according to an administration official. The official said Pence was relying on
information from Flynn when he went on television and denied that sanctions were discussed with Kislyak.

Kellogg takes the helm of the National Security Council at a time when the young administration is grappling with a series of national
security challenges, including North Korea's reported ballistic missile launch. The president, who was joined at his Mar-a-Lago estate
by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the weekend, voiced solidarity with Japan.

The White House is also dealing with fallout from the rocky rollout of Trump's immigration executive order, which has been blocked by
the courts. The order was intended to suspend the nation's refugee program and bar citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from
entering the United States.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey and Matthew Daly in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.

[EC]

Discussion here: http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,249106.msg1227318.html#msg1227318

[geronl]

He's a security risk