Flynn to testify Trump 'directed him to make contact with the Russians': report

[edpc]

Update

According to this, it was before the election and it was in relation to promises of lifting sanctions against Russia. This wasn't post election/post presidency discussions about ISIS and Syria as some speculated.

http://www.dailywire.com/news/24198/breaking-flynn-ready-testify-candidate-trump-told-ben-shapiro

According to this, from July, it’s exactly what Flynn had in mind and what ultimately lead to his dismissal.


Michael Flynn Had a Plan to Work With Russia’s Military. It Wasn’t Exactly Legal.

Inside the Pentagon, “there was a lot of fear that we’d move to outright cooperation [with Russia] through this channel,” according to a former senior defense official. 

Whatever prospects it may have had died after Defense Secretary James Mattis made clear that he would not sign any required authorization to green-light cooperation, according to two knowledgeable former senior defense officials.

Although the plan was “ill-defined,” a senior defense official said, Pentagon officials were aghast at what they understood as a move by Flynn to sidle up to Russia—part of a closeness that ultimately got Flynn fired, and one that fit a pattern of extending an olive branch to a Kremlin that U.S. intelligence had concluded interfered in the presidential election on Trump’s behalf.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-flynn-had-a-plan-to-work-with-russias-military-it-wasnt-exactly-legal

[Emjay]

These stories tend to come and go. It's not the first time this was a big story.

It was front page on Hawaii News Now.  But I can't totally figure out what it means.

Is it wrong to contact the Russians?  Even just to say 'hi?'

Is this inferring that Trump was doing something illegal with the Russians?  They've been playing that card for a year.

[Emjay]

Curtis Houck‏Verified account @CurtisHouck

.@BrianRoss: Mike Flynn is "prepared to testify" against Trump, his family, & the campaign, including Trump ordering him to talk to Russians

Who's family?  Trump's family?  What's in it for Flynn to do this?

[Emjay]

@mystery-ak -

Trump cares about no one but himself and his family, yet he put everyone out of his office and asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn, asked him several times to do that.  He had to have a reason and it had to be connected to him and his family because again, those are the only ones he cares about.  Flynn meant nothing to him - he wanted to stop this due to his and his family involvement.

That's a bit harsh and you have no way of knowing who and what Trump cares about.

[edpc]

Who's family?  Trump's family?  What's in it for Flynn to do this?

Flynn has mounting legal bills that have become quite expensive. As far as “the family“ goes, he means Trump family members. Read the Daily Wire article posted above. It delves into that somewhat.

[Emjay]

Obama Warned Trump Against Hiring Mike Flynn, Say Officials

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/obama-warned-trump-against-hiring-mike-flynn-say-officials-n756316

I can't fathom why Trump would not take Obama's advice.

[aligncare]

It was front page on Hawaii News Now.  But I can't totally figure out what it means.

Is it wrong to contact the Russians?  Even just to say 'hi?'

Is this inferring that Trump was doing something illegal with the Russians?  They've been playing that card for a year.

Sound and fury, without substance. After millions of dollars spent by the special counsel’s office, Mueller’s gotta feed the outrage machine every now and again.

[Bigun]

It was front page on Hawaii News Now.  But I can't totally figure out what it means.

Is it wrong to contact the Russians?  Even just to say 'hi?'

Is this inferring that Trump was doing something illegal with the Russians?  They've been playing that card for a year.

Kathyrn Herridge just reporting from the court this morning:

"Flynn's conversation with the Russian ambassador was in late December, [after the election], and the conversation was about the UN vote on an issue pertaining to the Middle East" ...

None of that is illegal in any way, and doesn't pertain the collusion or the election in any way. Another process crime created by the investigation.
Same as what Scooter Libby copped to too. I always figured that was because they couldn't get him on anything juicier. So far, the Mueller investigation is producing grossly underwhelming results.

[truth_seeker]

These discussions between Flynn and Russian contacts were apparently in relation to potential future cooperation in Syria against ISIS.  It has nothing to do with the election. These are things a national security advisor would do, so I am at a loss to see the problem with these overtures.

Flynn is pleading guilty to the crime of lying to the FBI, not to the underlying talks he had.

[edpc]

Flynn is pleading guilty to the crime of lying to the FBI, not to the underlying talks he had.

He’s being charged with lying and that stems from what he discussed, when, and with whom.  If they want to make it about sanctions, those talks occurred after the election and there’s no way that can be considered collusion to effect the vote.

[skeeter]

Flynn is pleading guilty to the crime of lying to the FBI, not to the underlying talks he had.

The crime of 'lying' where he apparently had absolutely no reason to lie. There was nothing to conceal.

[kevindavis007]

@OrinKerr


Judge Napolitano on @FoxNews right now about the Flynn charges: "This is probably the tip of a prosecutorial iceberg.  This is a nightmare for Donald Trump."
11:20 AM - 1 Dec 2017

[skeeter]

@OrinKerr


Judge Napolitano on @FoxNews right now about the Flynn charges: "This is probably the tip of a prosecutorial iceberg.  This is a nightmare for Donald Trump."
11:20 AM - 1 Dec 2017

Be still your beating heart.

[ABX]

ABC radio just said this is about a September 2016 meeting (ie before the election) and was about sanctions and what Trump could promise them. They also said they are looking into this in regards to this being a violation of the Logan Act.

[Bigun]

Be still your beating heart.

Never wake a man up while he is having a wet dream!

[ABX]

He’s being charged with lying and that stems from what he discussed, when, and with whom.  If they want to make it about sanctions, those talks occurred after the election and there’s no way that can be considered collusion to effect the vote.

ABC just said this was regarding a September 2016 meeting- so before the election, which would be a violation of the Logan Act.

[skeeter]

ABC just said this was regarding a September 2016 meeting- so before the election, which would be a violation of the Logan Act.

I wish they'd get their story straight. I just heard it concerns a December 2016 meeting.

[DiogenesLamp]

They were after Trump all along..looks like Flynn is going to hand him to the Feds or at least try to.

The Russian probe will never be over

They are going to try to "Nixon"  him.   That is what this has always been about.   


Only difference is that Trump knows how to better fight the media/deep state than Nixon ever did.

[Mesaclone]

If Trump wanted to tell the Russians not to worry about sanctions if he were elected....so what?

That's in no way illegal. Heck, let me say right now to Vladimir Putin that if I'm elected he doesn't need to worry about sanctions...please let me know what law I have now violated. OR.....let me answer for you...no law is broken by such an act. Its simply an expression of policy, which is what campaigns and politics are about.

This whole thing is absurd. Unless Flynn states that Trump told him he would drop sanctions in exchange for anti-Hillary intelligence releases (WIkileaks) during the campaign...it all adds up to zero. Since we all know nothing of the kind occurred, this is a silly political witch hunt mounted by Dems and establishment types.

Where is the crime...advocating a new policy and telling other nations what that policy will be if elected...is not against the law. If it were, every presidential candidate in our history would be a criminal.

[Mesaclone]

ABC just said this was regarding a September 2016 meeting- so before the election, which would be a violation of the Logan Act.

No, it does not violate the Logan act. Stating future policy if elected...or upon entry into office...including saying it to ambassadors and officials...is not a crime. The Logan Act is about subverting government for personal interests....and does not in any way apply to stating positions on issues like sanctions or international relations. In its 218 year history it has never been applied, and was never intended to be applied, to elected official expressing their policy intentions in talks with other nations. Its ludicrous to cite the Logan Act has having anything to do with this situation.

Brief excerpt from the Atlantic:
The Logan Act is a 1799 law that calls for the fine or imprisonment of private citizens who attempt to intervene without authorization in disputes or controversies between the United States and foreign governments. It has never been used to successfully prosecute any American citizen.

[ABX]

I wish they'd get their story straight. I just heard it concerns a December 2016 meeting.

Yep, it seems we don't have a straight story, I'm seeing both September and December being referenced in new articles (in the past hour). That date makes all the difference if this is a process crime issue or a real issue.

[ABX]

No, it does not violate the Logan act. Stating future policy if elected...or upon entry into office...including saying it to ambassadors and officials...is not a crime. The Logan Act is about subverting government....and does not in any way apply to stating positions on issues like sanctions or international relations.

The Logan Act bans non-elected citizens from negotiating with foreign governments. If the 'assurance' is seen as any sort of negotiation or promise, it could be ugly.  Especially if it could be seen a undermining current sanctions on Russia.

This is still a big IF as it seems the reports don't have their date straight. As noted above, some say December, some are now saying September.

[libertybele]

From FOX News -- Flynn will testify that a member of the Trump transition team ordered him to contact Moscow ... I'd like to know who from the transition team.  Kushner?  Bannon? Manafort?  All in all, this doesn't look good, though it wasn't Trump himself...they are going to find a way to nail him folks.  Hillary is uncorking the champagne right about now and you can bet she and her attorney's are looking at a way to disqualify this presidency and a way for her to take the reigns ... count on it.

Ex-general pleads guilty to lying to FBI, says member of Trump transition team ordered Moscow contact

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/01/michael-flynn-pleads-guilty-to-false-statements-charge-in-russia-probe.html

[musiclady]

Pence-day Clock just moved a minute closer to midnight 

Seriously!

[libertybele]

Seriously!

Music, I hope not.  I don't trust Pence in the least, but in the same light, the DEMS will be going after him if Trump has to step down.  Trump isn't going to go down without a fight and quite honestly so far, all in all I like him as President.