During an appearance for a guilty plea the Judge goes thru an EXTENSIVE questioning period where the defendant is read verbatim, all the elements of his crimes. After each charge, painstakingly described, the defendant is asked if there was any coercion, threats, promises, and general mopery involved in any of the process to which the defendant answers, NO. Obviously, Colonel Flynn has never taken to heart and believed that he is Not in Charge Anymore. A sad day for the former Marine. A sad day for America and the warriors who have sacrificed more than their reputation on the field of battle for the laws which prevent the Colonel from the choice he would receive in many other fiefdoms. Blindfold or No Blindfold.
1
His lawyers want the judges to feel sorry for this guy? Who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI? And broke lobbying laws to boot?
Let's hope the judge refuses to let him withdraw his plea. Case closed, as they say.
And as for his gangster godfather: he got mad because Flynn lied to Pence and others? You'd think he'd be proud that Flynn had learned lying lessons from him.
Remember: president Obama warned Trump about Flynn. And Trump, filled as always with pathological hatred for Obama, ignored him.
5
I have a cousin by marriage that is a retired Lt. Colonel, taught at West Point, is very conservative and right wing. He and his fellow officers were horrified when they saw Mike Flynn sitting next to Putin on RT TV and were burning up the emails to each other. He tells me everything Flynn did wrong is such basic knowledge among officers and certainly Generals that his conduct is considered corrupt and stupefying by his peers. Lock him up.
7
This is your daily reminder that this guy led the "lock her up" chants against Hillary Clinton -- who has been yet again cleared by yet another institution...
5
The mere fact that someone so lacking in honor and integrity rose all the way up to Lt. General, three stars, is a terrible stain on the US Army. How could one so lacking in moral character be promoted repeatedly? It casts doubt on the moral fiber of all our military leaders. Secretly lobbying for a foreign power is tantamount to treason. He should spend time in jail if only to set an example and MAYBE restore faith in our institutions. tRump will undoubtedly pardon him, but the conviction and the shame it carries will be on him forever. He has dishonored the service and its leadership forever.
4
Michael Flynn is simply imitating his do-wrong but deny-everything mentor President Donald Trump. Fortunately, Justice will prevail, until his mentor intervenes with a Pardon. And when that Pardon happens, another pillar of the US Constitution will crumble.
2
@Steven Smith Accepting a pardon would mean that taking the Fifth would no longer be an option, were Flynn to be questioned about the activities of others.
1
he didn't withdraw it - he MOVED to withdraw it (requires court order for good cause - very hard to prove).
1
This reeks to high heaven of inappropriate influence by the Trump administration in an effort to change the narrative on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump would like nothing more than to convince everyone that Russians did not help him get elected. Flynn's guilt and conviction stand in the way of revising history to instead suggest Trump won on his own. Trump has a limited amount of time in which he could conceivably alter the facts. Every trial in which facts are presented and entered into the record erodes his legitimacy.
Never forget that Trump is an illegitimate president elected with illegal foreign help, which he did nothing to discourage.
Let him drag this out until after the next president is sworn in in 2021. That way there will not be any pardon. Then sentence him appropriately to a few years in jail.
1
@Elmo Harris A president can intervene with a preemptive pardon at any point in the process, as Ford did with Nixon, even though prosecution was not even imminent, let alone underway.
Flynn should take his deserved punishment like a man, or should I say ‘like Felicity Huffman.’ She clearly did wrong but she is an example of taking responsibility for ones actions.
Considering Comey and company’s incompetence and doctoring of documents I don’t believe any jury would convict Mr. Flynn.
1
Trump's entire agenda is focused on compiling talking points, i.e., screaming points, for his rallies. The pardon Flynn is angling to get is another example. It's Eddie Gallagher II: an affront to the uniform he wore, a display of contempt for the law; but what fun it will be to trigger the libs.
That's right Flynn. You're a "real man" just like trump. How dare anyone get in the way of a "real man" doing whatever he wants!
Pesky "laws" and "ethics" don't apply to you...
3
Birds of a feather flock together and what a bunch of corrupt, dirty birds Flynn, Trump and the rest of them are...
5
Lock him up, lock him up, lock him up...
4
do I smell POTUS PARDON?
3
General Flynn was set up by the FBI. Anyone not sitting on their couch at night watching tv and who is highly involved in business, politics and government can almost certainly be found to be doing something wrong if investigators want to find something wrong.
It is obvious from the Justice Dept IG report that the FBI was willing to do anything to bring down the President.
President Trump should issue blanket pardons to everyone that the FBI ensnared in their effort to get Trump and put an end to this horrific miscarriage of justice.
@John Gilday
I believe I can here the theme from “The Twilight Zone” playing....
“You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Your next stop, the Twilight Zone!”
2
@John Gilday
That's what you're going with now? "Everyone has committed crimes and the FBI is out to get the President"?
Absurd. All of this - the claim that the FBI was out to get Trump, the claim that Trump is no worse than anyone else - all of this is just an attempt to portray Trump as legitimately elected. He hates the fact, and it is an indisputable fact, that Russia interfered in the election to benefit him and that everyone knows he didn't win outright on his own. See the deflection away from the other pesky fact that he didn't win the popular vote outright - that's always explained with an unsubstantiated nod to some shadowy votes cast by "illegals".
Understand this - Occam's razor is a sharp tool that works in almost every circumstance. The simplest explanation is most likely - Trump is corrupt, his associates are corrupt, he got foreign help to "win" the electoral college. What you're witnessing and buying into is the coverup - many complicated narratives designed to cast doubt on what we can all see clearly.
Trump is corrupt and he didn't win on his own.
3
@John Gilday
Yup. They're all "real men" just doing what they see fit. How dare the "law" apply to them? Let's hope the unfairly-maligned-"real man"-in-chief can straighten this all out...
Never before has so much lawless activity been so unfairly called out!
2
He seems to have forgotten that the plea deal was meant to get his implicated son out of jeopardy. Guess that bet is off now.
2
As a former AUSA, I am very disappointed with this article’s misunderstanding of a motion to withdraw a guilty plea. They are almost never granted. Getting a judge’s permission requires extraordinary circumstances like an incompetent defense lawyer or a corrupt prosecutor. This piece makes the desperate Hail Mary effort look like a fait d’accompli.
4
Didn't Flynn plead guilty to get his scheming son off the hook? If I were Junior, I'd be plenty angry and nervous. Still in the country — or is he safely in Russia by now?
5
“It is beyond ironic and completely outrageous that the prosecutors have persecuted Mr. Flynn, virtually bankrupted him, and put his entire family through unimaginable stress for years,” his lawyers wrote.
He should call Hillary, they could commiserate.
Well, maybe not. Hillary just got harassed and is innocent.
Flynn and his family are getting harassed, but he's guilty.
That might mean Hill wouldn't give him the time of day.
LOCK HIM UP!
4
Lock. Him. Up. Longtime.
4
Lock him up...he is a liar, just like Trump. He is the one that made the deal to assist prosecutions and then reneged. Hoping he will get what he deserves.
13
The plea deal required Mr. Flynn to admit his guilt under oath. So, is he now saying he was lying? And if so, why should he not be subject to perjury charges?
14
Over the past few months, Flynn has witnessed Trump’s outrageous mischaracterization of the findings in the Mueller Report, William Barr’s complicity in distorting those findings, Michael Cohen’s damning testimony that was waved away by House Republicans, and the Trump administration’s stone-walling when it comes to providing witnesses and documents in the impeachment inquiry. The way Flynn sees it, nothing is sticking to Trump, so why not roll the dice when it comes to his own legal challenges? As an added bonus, he might even catch a pardon.
10
Flynn is a modern day Icarus whose hubris led to his downfall. How does a military man who at one point may have believed in our values of freedom become a traitor who incites mob behavior and sells out to the enemy?
Easy, he got too close to Trump.
9
It appears Mr Fly beloved a sentencing hearing was a Best Word Arrangement seminar. I hope the judge doubles down.
1
Check his bank account for a sudden infusion of "mob" money.
5
All about propaganda related to denigrating the justice system and claiming the deep state is at work against him. Lock him up.
6
Are you kidding me? This makes a mockery of the US justice system.
7
Hasn't this taken up a lot of oxygen in the last three years?
Let justice be done, but if he gets a do-over, we'll be hearing about Michael Flynn for another two years.
Yo Mike! Just take the six months and go away.
2
Sounds like someone was promised a presidential pardon. Witness tampering, anyone?
5
The headline is incorrect. Flynn didn't withdraw his guilty plea, he asked the judge's permission to change his plea. Very high likelihood that the judge will deny his motion.
6
Flynn forgot that rich white guys are above the law.
4
All of this is to play into the Faux News machinery of how unjust the system is and that the "Deep State" is trying to rid America of their duly elected officials...
Somehow, logic and laws do not apply to the fringes
6
A new idea for justice. Change your plea. Oh well. Lock up his son.
4
Oh, how I’d love to see Flynn on the witness stand. The guy has always had a reputation regarding his temper. Under hard questioning, he’d lose it and there’s no telling what he might say.
Your days of giving orders and having everyone snap to are long over, Mister Flynn.
11
The corrupt and amoral occupant of the White House has shown that he is willing to pardon — and promote, and praise — a war criminal who allegedly shot an unarmed girl in the back.
Surely he wouldn’t balk at pardoning a guy who “merely” worked illegally as a foreign agent and then lied to the FBI about it.
164
Recall, this is the same Lt. General who was relieved of his command, forcibly retired due to issues around his fitness to lead command and anger management issues. Same retired Lt General who made a spectacle of himself with his “lock her up” rant at the 2016 Republican convention. Now, two years after admitting to multiple crimes, he continues on his path of destruction and disgrace. Enough. Lock him up.
361
@Sterno Why does not one mention Benedict Arnold, who was a distinguished General before he turned to traitor after the West Point fiasco? That is the parallel case in American history.
16
What a disgrace to himself, his family, the military, and the United States. He fits right in as a likely candidate for a Trump Presidential pardon.
He can then go on the speaking circuit with fellow veteran and fellow disgracee Ed Gallagher, and end up with a perch on Fox News. A real American Hero.
406
@Scottapottomus
Right up there with Oliver North, eh?
Don't forget the unknown negotiators that gave us the October surprise.
14
@Scottapottomus
The same way Pompeo graduated first in his class at West Point and, Esper, also a West Point graduate, is disassembling in front of questioning. The same way Mark Milley , Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is being a yes man or General Mattis refuses to open his mouth to tell the truth.
It is hard to conclude that being a general implies any level of honor.
61
@Scottapottomus ++
I tell you what is a disgrace: the government handing out 3-6 month sentences to these criminals. Their measly cooperation has led to at the most almost nothing.
48
The motion will not be granted. He was fully advised during the plea of guilty of what he was pleading to, and he confirmed the factual basis for the charges. Nice try; no cigar. His so-called lawyers do not deserve to have a license.
65
@LawyerTom I sense that you are correct. But I don't think that this is about a trial I think it is about time. Setting up and carrying out a trial would take time, perhaps enough time to get past the November election when Trump as a lame duck or newly reelected President could pardon him without adverse political affect. Basically Flynn is a gambler and he is placing a bet, just now.
2
"But Mr. Flynn grew increasingly antagonistic in recent months and hired combative new lawyers in mid-2019."
Sounds like Flynn had buyer's remorse. As if . . . trying this case after he cooperated could result in a better outcome.
5
“Lock him up!”
12
For the weak, watching all the money being made out of war and only being a Lt General must have eaten at him, so he got into the play. He became this generations Oliver North. My father, a WWII, Marine vet, was furious at ON. "He broke his vow." Today, it seems to be fashionable to do so. If the judge allows this plea change I hope he schedules the trial so his sentencing date is 1/22/21;)
7
Let him withdraw his plea and file the additional charges of illegally lobbying against him. He deserves to go to prison for longer than 6 months.
12
"Mr. Trump dismissed Mr. Flynn after learning he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence and other senior administration officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador,"
My guess is that Flynn did not lie to Pence, that Trump and Pence were fully aware of these conversations, and that they had to claim Flynn lied and fire him when the facts of the conversations came out as an alibi to them to protect themselves. (Lock them all up.)
But Flynn did lie to the FBI.
10
Another example of Trump's promise of bringing in all the 'Best People' to his administration.
8
Remind me again why Flynn was - let go or fired or resigned or whatever while working for the Obama Administration? Something about him being a loose cannon? Would love to know the real details on what Flynn did to get "let go".
2
Flynn has absolutely awesome gall. This man has clearly committed criminal behaviour, betrayed our nation's interests vs. Russia and Turkey at the least, and failed to tell the truth on government forms re. lobbying and to the FBI. Wow. Imagine if Flynn was NOT a Trump acolyte. The snotty twitter comments from POTUS would be incessant. Lock him up! After due process of course...
11
He is getting desperate for "his pardon".
I think the cowardly traitor should be tried for every single crime he can be tried for. Then given the maximum sentence.
8
My best guess is that this “move” by Flynn is meant purely as a signal to his fellow mobster/patron Donald Trump to please pardon him.
It’s frankly disgusting, and the swamp still feels like it’s brimming with miscreants.
10
Obama warned Trump not to hire Flynn, so naturally Trump hired him. General Lock him up Flynn deserves to spend a long time in solitary. He is a traitor to his country and complicit with Russians like his former Boss, the liar Trump.
13
Flynn is not only a traitor, he's a very stupid one at that. I hope the judge and jury throw the book at him.
8
Closest thing to a traitor since the rebels fired on Ft. Sumter.
Throw the book at him, lock him up.
11
Every rat gets vicious when cornered.
At least Cohen abandoned the cult, chose the manly path, took the hit, and will eventually move on with his life.
-C
15
Wait, you can withdraw a guilty plea? I wish someone had told me this when the police coerced me to pleading guilty (or face deportation) for a nothingburger offence that ended up costing me several thousand dollars.
8
Obviously Flynn seeks delay. He probably has Trump’s “assurance” of a pardon. Given that Trump is a liar and only concerned with himself, Flynn is taking a big chance.
12
The person prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to a long prison sentence I really want to see is Donald Trump. Flynn, Giuliani, Manafort, and Cohen are all small-time thugs compared to their boss who has committed grave crimes, starting with treason, abuse of power, and decades of money laundering.
15
@DL
Think about it for a minute. This guy was a General Officer before he came into Trumps orbit.
Unless the Army system is far more corrupt than we know he was already a crook before he got on board with Trump. Wasn't he having dinner with Putin and accepting an award a year before the campaign?
6
The hubris and arrogance of all the president’s men is ceaseless as well as repulsive. Mr. Lock Her Up needs to be locked up. And one would hope that it is longer than the recommended six months. I often ask myself, How long and how much more before Trump supporters including those in Congress realize that by hitching their wagon to their leader the wheels will fall off and they, too, will be stuck in mud?
24
THROW AWAY THE KEY
The deal Flynn got was a sweetheart of a deal...to avoid prosecution on illegal foreign lobbying.
Let him throw it all away
16
Well to quote with a variant Flynn's unfortunate appearance at the Republican National Convention in 2016:
"Lock him up."
15
Flynn is damaged goods regardless of his petition to the court.
Perhaps he should have chose his “friend” more wisely and perhaps his reputation would not be as stained as it is today.
But, lie with camels, wake up with fleas.
9
Who does he think he is, Oliver North?
10
Obviously Flynn is angling for a pardon. No judge should let him get away with it. And Barr should have been disbarred long ago.
18
Methinks Mr. Flynn is the victim of Presidential witness tampering....Big Time. This admitted liar and traitor has admittedly helped putin and the russians mislead the American people and install their puppet as president, all the while being paid his 30 pieces of silver, and more. He has nothing left to present in a court of law to get him or his complicit son exonerated and he knows it. The only hope he has is to keep the ball in play, and the case going until 45 gets a shot at it. Another in a long line of sad days recently for America and the rule of law.
12
Remind me, Mr. Flynn. How did that chant you favored so much go? Oh yes. Lock him up, lock him up, lock him up.
12
Awesome, call Trump as a witness.
8
Throw the book at him.
6
The Trump ethos seems to be: Why do the right thing, the honest thing, the legal thing, or - god forbid - the moral thing, when you are a rich white man and can hire lawyers?
10
How can half the country look at this clown and the rest of the hucksters and liars around Trump - and believe this train wreck makes America great.
Maybe in Flynn’s case the evangelicals believe he’s ‘biblical’ like they think Trump is. I’ll tell you this: The next time someone wants to say a little prayer before lunch I’m going to ask them who they voted for. If it was Trump I’m going to start eating.
10
Michael Flynn lacks the intelligence and morals of an ice cube.
Feds should lock him up for a longer than 6 months and then prosecute his son.
12
Flynn’s reputation is in tatters.
He’s yet another example of someone who made the misstep of getting involved in the Trump maladministration, sold his soul to the devil and will forever be remembered as a contemptible, self-interested traitor.
7
@Andrew: It wasn't a misstep and Flynn didn't suddenly loose his ethics upon meeting trump...it was always thus. Corrupt people attract each other like flies to sugar, so all of trumps circle are there because they are kindred souls.
5
LTG Treason is accusing prosecutors of “bad faith”? Oh, the irony.
Lock him up, already.
6
So some lawyer convinced Flynn he was a victim? Looks like billable hours to me.
11
@Doug: Don't blame a lawyer. Republicans all see themselves as victims. Especially the rich white ones.
5
The gang that couldn't lie, spy, or fly straight.
(As in a creature of porcine origin that don't fly straight...)
4
Pleads guilty and now whines about it. He should take his medicine and get on with it.
6
I thought Flynn was trying to help his son....you know the one with the crazy Pizzagate conspiracy? So now I guess "I plead guilty" really means I can lie all I want to in the courts. Trump, probably has his back. Despite that, the Flynns are through. Even if pardoned, Flynn will always be known for nefarious reasons. Really, they were treasonous. His association with Trump will always stick not only on him, but on Trump.
5
I hope the state of New York (or any state) can file legit charges against this traitor. Lock him up. No pardon.
7
The trial is one thing, positioning yourself for a Trump pardon is another. Two different games are running at the same time.
1
Either we, or perhaps Flynn himself, can blame the military system of advancement for his eventual rise to a level he was intellectually or ethically incapable of handling.
Flynn is consistently on the downhill slope of rationality and propriety, careening about, apparently clueless as to the effects of his lies, reversals and course changes.
He is Donald trump with a uniform and medals.
6
Could anything be a more obvious pitch to Trump for a pardon? Accusing prosecutors of vindictiveness is the coin of the realm in the court of Trump. The whole thing sounds like an orchestrated set-up to play the role of victim, which after all is what Trump can't seem to quit. The system is rigged, the media is against me, (insert any Trump sycophant's name) was treated very badly, and on and on.
3
"[A]ccusing prosecutors of “bad faith” and vindictiveness after they asked a judge to sentence him to prison for backing out of a deal to cooperate with them."
Um, what did he expect would happen if he backed out of the cooperation agreement? A get-out-of-jail-free card and a welcome home party?
And, sadly, he's neither the most corrupt nor incompetent cabinet member to grace this administration.
1
Flynn sees what Trump and his crew is getting away with and thinks he can also. I say take him to trial, convict him and give him the maximum penalty. He knows he's guilty and there's not one once of patriotism him, so lock him up.
2
To our advantage, this entire "pack" (I can't refer to them as an administration) has consistently made ridiculous legal choices that get thrown out with minimal consideration.
2
He should fight it out at a trial. What we know today about Comey and the inspector general reports the odds are 60/40 he gets acquitted.
1
In “Trump World”, lack of evidence is proof of a crime, overwhelming evidence is proof of a conspiracy and admission of guilt is proof of innocence.
2
The arrogance of this man has been on display throughout his career.
I suspect the only thing that will turn his head is an investigation of his son's activities.
6
He’s embarrassed himself to the world, now he’s just pretending to be a man. He’s not, by any measure.
10
Flynn must be jealous of how well Papadopolous has done in the right-wing echo chamber since pleading guilty, serving his light sentence, and then denying he ever did anything wrong.
Only in the Trump Era can people be so widely celebrated for being liars and cheats.
It's a real shame that Democrats were not able to list "gaslighting" as one of the articles of impeachment.
8
You did the crime, do the time and stop wasting taxpayer money.
51
@Horseshoe Crab I am sure that when it comes to a trial, the last thing on Flynn's mind is "taxpayer money".
It seems to me this is most likely just a play for time. Mr. Flynn has already plead and explained his guilt (twice). That plea probably came from an assumption he'd serve little or no jail time. Clearly he'd like a pardon, but President Trump is unlikely to issue a pardon before the election--so that pardon won't come until January 2021.
If Flynn had stuck with "plan A" the prosecutors would have recommended no jail time, and he would suffer just the weight of a paper conviction until the pardon comes. Now the prosecutors are asking for jail time, and the sentencing date has arrived. Mr. Flynn would have served that jail sentence before the pardon.
Changing lawyers and adopting a more antagonistic stance appears to have been a bad gamble for Mr. Flynn. His attorneys appear to be filing motions to delay the start date of any jail time.
1
I'm not sure exactly how can one withdraw a guilty plea after it's been entered.
What is the Court supposed to do? Pretend that the admission of guilt in open court never happened?
5
The FBI targeted Flynn unfairly. He should be permitted to withdraw his plea and go to trial. If the government has a case, it will be able to prove it at trial. If not, he will be acquitted. There is no reason for this not to go to trial.
2
I admit I don't know much about what happened to Michael Flynn and the lying to investigators, but I did see James Comey interviewed, crowing about the things he got away with in a Trump White House that he said he would never have either done or gotten away with in a George W. Bush White House. I think this says some very disturbing things about James Comey. I also understand that when he was approached to answer questions by other DOJ officials he asked if he needed a lawyer and was told "No, of course you do not need a lawyer. We just want to ask you a few questions. I don't know about others but I see this as a "setup" and prosecutors should not be permitted to question someone without telling them their rights.
While I think Flynn was careless and should have denied the interview, I think James Comey and his band of merry men should face consequences for their actions as well.
2
If Flynn had faced reality and accepted responsibility for his actions in the first place, he could have already been sentenced, served his time, and moved on with his life.
3
I hope he goes to trial. The jury will quickly convict him of multiple crimes and the judge will give him the maximum sentence. Trump won't be able to pardon him if the trial takes place in 2021, a schedule that this judge controls.
4
@Eero
Trump can pardon him at anytime he is still president, even before the trial.
2
Judging from the tone of this piece one would assume the Mueller report amounted to something. It did not. I hope Flynn is in a position to fight the ridiculous situation he has been put in by cheesey agents within the FBI. I believe he was ambushed and convicted over something so trivial that it takes my breath away. The others convicted in this episode are guilty and are serving reasonable time.
2
Let me get this straight. The Mueller report amounted to nothing, FBI agents are cheesy, and yet, most of the convictions and admissions of guilt resulting from the report and the hard work of the FBI are valid...except for Flynn’s.
1
Has a regular low income or middle class person ever been allowed to withdraw a guilty plea? Never heard of it
1
Hmm. This is the guy who said, during the popular "Lock Her Up!" chant section of one of Trump's campaign events: “If I did a tenth of what she did, I would be in jail today.”
So, does he think that by doing MORE than what she did, he should be OK?
Lock him up.
He was a paid operative of Turkey without disclosing it, and while having input on US national security policy. Saying he didn't understand the paperwork about foreign disclosure (like pretty much everyone in the Trump collection) isn't an excuse for someone who was National Security Adviser. If he doesn't like it let him plead his case from a cell, or go on RT television and hope Putin orders his pardon.
5
Mr, Flynn.....
You plead Guilty.
TWICE you admitted and attested to your guilt in Open Court.
Take your punishment like a man, and stop this cowardly whining.
12
Maybe Flynn and Trump can share a cell.
6
What is truly amazing is that this traitor to the Country, as the judge once said, was in the military for over 30 years and promoted to General. His role in Intelligence led him to the Russians. He is a coward and a disgrace to the Country. "Lockem up."
7
The fact that Flynn rose to the rank of Lt. Gen. and head of DIA ... only to be fired/retire by Obama... and then end up at Putin’s useful idiots table... is disturbing.
Seems like FedGov/DoD and DIA background & counter-intelligence checks and presumably multiple polygraph tests ..... missed a few things.
1
Flynn should sue his lawyer Sydney Powell for giving him really, really bad advice. And Flynn should take his lumps from being so stupid to take it.
1
The motion will be yet another plea to Trump (publically) using the angles that got pardons for Eddie Gallagher and others that were being prosecuted in the Military Courts of Justice, and only vaguely argued on anything resembling a legal argument to the court. The trial court will deny the motion, it will move on to the Court of Appeals - where it will again be denied. All the while, the legal team will be hounding Trump to correct the "injustice" of this "Great American Hero" by granting him a pardon. Which, of course, will be forthcoming before the next president is inaugurated.
11
Executive Power = a mockery of justice.
Trump will pardon Flynn and Manafort and Gates, and everyone else connected to his 2016 campaign not because they are innocent (we know they’re not) but because he needs to continue to drive home the point that he is innocent.
Question is, will he pardon before or after the election?
I suppose it depends on how confident he is on winning.
36
Didn't a judge rule the prosecution withheld exculpitory evidense? And that sparked Flynn to change his lawyer and his plea. I'm kinda shocked that info was left out of this article. It sort of changes everyone's perception by not including that info. Maybe Flynn does deserve prison, but let's at least tell the whole story. Guilt by omission is the power of the press
12
@Bob
Oh, my! The misinformation that goes around! It's astounding! Not only did the judge NOT rule that the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence, but in a scathing 92-page decision in December 2019, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled against Flynn, offering a point by point rebuttal of his arguments to force prosecutors to release more documents. The Judge said Flynn and his legal team had no basis for such claims and were incorrect on several points of law critical to their argument.
What you might be referring to was a February 2018 order by Judge Sullivan directing federal prosecutors to produce to Flynn’s legal team “any evidence in its possession that is favorable to defendant and material either to defendant’s guilt or punishment” in a timely manner. Sullivan’s order invoked the “Brady Rule,” which requires prosecutors to disclose exculpatory evidence in their possession to the defense — that is, evidence that could prove favorable to the defendant in negating his guilt, reducing his potential sentence or bolstering the credibility of a witness.
What a shame that you can cite a previous order incorrectly and not understand the plain meaning of the subsequent finding.
9
@Bob That's incorrect. Flynn made this argument--as many a Defendant has--but the judge rejected this. Flynn lied to the FBI; this is clear as day. His fishing expedition does not negate this.
OTH, the FBI seemed to want to entrap Flynn and I for one am not comfortable with sending folks to jail for these process crimes of lying about something that is not an underlying crime.
3
What?! When?! Can you back this up?
I remember reading analysis early on that suggested the plea was, in part, to shield his son from prosecution. Curious if there is an angle there. Also, I've read his new attorney is nuts.
17
Deny the motion. Sentence to 6 months in prison and be done with it.
24
@Bananahead how aBout 6 years minimum, no parole, no government pension.
6
@Bananahead
Ironically Flynn thinks that his having to do 6 mos would be unfair but the truth is that any ordinary person who did half of what he did would probably be looking at five or ten years in jail.
It is particularly disheartening to see his high military rank and "service" constantly invoked to justify lenient treatment. Seriously? He was given two of the most exalted and trusted positions in our country--Lieut General and National Security Adviser and he abused them. He disgraced his uniform and betrayed the people of this country. And he did it purely for ego and greed. He committed not just one crime but multiple crimes, in multiple separate situations. He lied about all of it. And now he is lying about having been lying when he entered his guilty plea.
This guy should never have been recommended for zero jail and he shouldn't be getting six months now. He should be doing serious time, like Manafort. I am a naturally forgiving and sympathetic person but I have zero sympathy for Mike Flynn.
All you have to do is watch, even once, the horrible video of him with a hateful arrogant snarl on his face rallying the crowd to shriek "Lock her up! Lock her up!" like a blood-crazed lynch mob to know that this guy deserves no leniency whatsoever. Or rather he deserves the kind of charity that he showed to others, e.g. none.
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@Cassandra Six months is enough. He is a complete disgrace.
It's a lot harder to justify a pardon when the person has admitted guilt.
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@Earl No problem for Trump to pardon Flynn. "He's a nice guy" in Trump's eyes so what's the big deal in Trump's tiny mind?
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@Earl You miss the point. Since when does a pardon have to be justified?
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@Earl I don’t believe that would stop Trump given Trump appears to have no morals or ethical compass.
It would be another “look what I did” and the red hat brigade members will cheer.
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So he is obviously trying to play hardball and opt for the pardon. This is quite a Hail Mary play for Flynn. In for a penny, I guess.
Alas, Flynn doesn't seem to grasp that Trump is only in his first term, and he is up for re-election in the fall. There's a potential political cost to Flynn's pardon because Trump is staring down a tight re-election. Moreover, the circumstances of Flynn's alleged crime - which related to illegal foreign influence - can be directly tied to Russias attempt to illegally influence the election by bolstering Trump's chances. Not a good look for Trump, especially if there are Senators who are already uncomfortable with his foreign ties. A pardon for Flynn might finally be that proverbial straw to break the camel's back.
Perhaps if Trump was finishing his second term and stood to lose nothing, well sure, Flynn cound probably bank on a pardon. But that is not the case. And of course, we are assuming that his trial is completed before the election ends and that other more damaging infomration doesn't come to light during Flynn's trial. Lots of big "ifs" there. And perhaps prosecutors might now take another look at Flynn's son, who pretty much got a "free pass" when he was co-operating.
All things considered, this is a pretty reckless move for Flynn.
Best of luck to the prosecution, and may truth prevail!
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@Norman You're being too cerebral here. What pleases his base is what Trump will do. It's his only compass.
To complete your guess: "In for a penny, in for a pound, it's love that makes the world go round." Hard to argue with that.
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@David Gladfelter, I know what you mean. I thought the "Access Hollywood" tape would be the straw that would break the camel's back. But look where we are. Every time I think we've hit bottom, Trump proves that there's still a lot more room to drop. It's quite amazing when you step back and think about it. And so perhaps I'm being a little naive in thinking that THIS might be the tipping point. I hear ya.
Even still, there seems to be a generalizable law of the Trump Presidency: the longer an issue remains in the public attention, the more incriminating information will trickle out about that issue. It's not Trump's base that I'm thinking about when I say "they'll" eventually hit bottom - those folks are too far gone. I'm referring, instead, to that small cadre of Republican Senators who are genuinely concerned about "life after Trump" as well as those commonsense Republicans and "undecided" voters who have seen their moral compasses begin to twitch over the past year. At some point, they will say "ok, enough". And when they do, the herd will follow. They will flush Trump so quickly he won't know what hit him.
1
From the article, "Days into his presidency, Mr. Trump dismissed Mr. Flynn after learning he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence and other senior administration officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador." No- Trump dismissed Flynn after it became PUBLIC that Flynn had lied. Trump knew for weeks before it became public that Flynn had lied.
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@Stephanie Pretty sure had this only come to light more recently and Flynn were still on board, Trump would shrug his shoulders and say So What?
4
As did Pence!
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The overwhelming vast majority of motions to withdraw guilty pleas fail, as they should. He admitted his guilt under oath. Takes a lot to undo that, and no grounds that might be successful were mentioned in the article. BTW, high profile federal prosecutions should now be handed over to states like New York and California, so that the convictions actually stick and cannot be undone by pardons from corrupt presidents like Trump.
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Flynn’s most serious and injurious error was his association with Don Trump.
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I would love to see a Flynn trial. Just on Turkey, he is in big trouble. There will also be focus on his Russian ties and phone calls. Call his bluff- Bring it on!
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Flynn was in Intelligence. And Intelligence, in the Army, is where you put people who cannot fly, drive a tank, or be trusted with people or money.
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In lieu of a Pardon is he hoping that Trump will Issue Emergency Decrees that breaking the law is OK? Lying is how the President operates so it must be the way to go. Half of Congress wants to establish a Liar of the Year Award. Half of America may vote that as an amendment to the Constitution next fall.
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The article states, "Days into his presidency, Mr. Trump dismissed Mr. Flynn . . ." This makes it sound as if Trump moved relatively swiftly to dismiss him. It was actually close to three weeks (18 days, to be exact) after Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, informed the administration about Flynn: hardly a credit to Trump who, as we now know, was loathe to dismiss Flynn because of Flynn's behind-the-scenes outreach to the Russians for the purpose of aiding and abetting their attack on the integrity of this election. It's not helpful to soft-peddle Trump's betrayal of the American electorate.
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@HK
As you illustrate, too often the press soft-pedals reality with soft language.
There needs to be clarity.
"You can't be afraid of words that speak the truth. I don't like words that hide the truth. I don't like words that conceal reality. I don't like euphemisms or euphemistic language. And American english is loaded with euphemisms. Because Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with reality. Americans have trouble facing the truth, so they invent a kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it. And it gets worse with every generation. For some reason it just keeps getting worse."
- George Carlin
5
This retraction after months of trying to harvest the best deal for himself perfectly encapsulates the Trump administration relationship with the truth. There is no truth to them. There are helpful and non-helpful narratives which are constructed and manipulated to cast themselves in the best light to whomever is asking.
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How can Flynn un-plead guilty without admitting that his original plea was a lie.
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He is wasting taxpayers' money and prosecutors' time and resources. He feels that the government is treating him unjustly and is lashing out. It won't end well.
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Flynn is seeking an alternative to accountability and a reprieve from the alternate justice system of the rich and powerful.
Until all people are judged under one system of justice, our Democracy will remain flawed and the scorn of the majority of citizens.
Without accountability America will resort to lawlessness and without correction, America’s demise.
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"Combative" is that what you call attempting too extricate yourself from a conspiracy not of your making. We have all wittnessed the cloud of confidence now swirling around the FISA court, the FBI and the CIA, we all have been a witness to this history.
The intimidation, the coercion of this military man, the threats against his family rub some of US the wrong way.
There is no reason to sacrifice this man.
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@Tom ,Retired Florida Junkman He admitted lying to the FBI twice, in court. FISA has nothing to do with it. That military man was fired previously by Obama, who also warned Trump that Flynn was toxic.
It’s called accountability, Tom.
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@Tom ,Retired Florida Junkman
Skies are crystal clear on that account. People generally don't plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit. Rhetorical muddying does not change these facts.
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@Tom ,Retired Florida Junkman This was entirely of his own making. He was making money on the side working for a foreign government, not reporting it (criminal so far, by itself) and then trying to leverage his way into the Trump orbit and eventually White House where he could make good on those outside "contracts". Add to it his "tasks" for Trump as repayment to get sanctions sorted out for Trump's pals - the likes of Deripaska - and there is no part of this that was on on Flynn, and with his eyes wide open. As a general, he is expected to know the law and code of military justice, and adhere to it strictly. I believe you may be misapprehending the mood of military members toward Trump. Trump is quickly burning those bridges with enough in the military, which may well hurt him in November.
He should have been sentenced on conviction based on his guilty plea. Pussyfooting around with this man has allowed him to engage in self delusion about his own innocence.
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@Marcus Brant Please just lock him up.
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The person who broke the plea deal was Flynn but like many in the Trump Administration he remains blind to the truth. Now he is hoping a trial will find jurors who are equally blind. May I remind him that it didn’t go too well for his predecessors, Manafort and Stone.
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Flynn will not be immune to the ceremonial toss under the bus. Bonafide coward and a traitor to our great nation.
15
The common trait with these three self-serving men seems to be a deeply entitled belief that they are above the law.
I truly hope Lady Justice will stand firm.
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@Dawn
What can he trade for a Presidential pardon?
2
Hmmm, perhaps he made "another" deal, one with his former boss; he'll step back from the truth, get a pardon, and the two will live happily ever after!
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Try him in court.
Expose the Trumpian evidence against him.
Sentence him to prison and lock him up !
Make America Great Again.
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@Socrates I'd settle for making America credible again.
13
Can someone explain why General Flynn is in this mess and Andrew McCabe, who also lied to the FBI is not being prosecuted? Or perhaps explain why James Clapper, who lied to congress about NSA surveillance which violated the fourth amendment rights of millions of Americans was never prosecuted for it?
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@Middleman MD
Clapper was doing his job which entailed lying to protect a national security secret. It is no different than a general lying about her troop deployments so as to deceive the enemy.
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@Middleman MD
Gen. Flynn is in this mess because he was the National Security Advisor and he admittedly lied to the President and Vice President about matters of national security. He pleaded guilty.
McCabe allegedly lied during an internal investigation about leaks to the press, which happen all the time. And maybe the reason he has not been prosecuted is because the case against him is so weak.
1
@Kenneth Um, no.
The head of the NSA, nor any other executive branch agency, is NOT authorized or justified in lying to Congress, ever.
If he wants to avoid revealing a national security matter, there is a procedure allowing his testimony to be given in closed session, or to the Intelligence Committee, or the 'Gang of Eight'.
A general deceiving a foreign enemy is not the same as a public servant lying to Congress to evade its oversight authority.
4
Virtually bankrupted but there must be money to pay his high flying attorneys.
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@Sophocles
In rubles. But they're exchangeable, so everyone's happy.
5
@Sophocles
It would be interesting and useful to know more about who is paying his legal bills. They have to be enormous (as in over a million bucks). So where is the money coming from? You can be sure his lawyers and publicists are not working for free.
Either some right-wing billionaire donors like Koch or Mercer are subsidizing those bills or some right wing pseudo-think tank (that those donors are using as a pass through) is paying or its some foreign government like the Russians or the Turks. It has to be one of those three options because Flynn does not come from a rich family, nor has he had any legitimate jobs that pay more than a senior level government salary. Please NYT--follow the money.
2
Two words come to mind. Weasel and pardon.
One describes this shifty-eyed, corrupt little sneak perfectly, and the other is a desperate prayer.
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He lied about being on Turkey's payroll, no?
37
To borrow a phrase, "lock him up!"
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schedule him for trial - during 2020 election.
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He obviously sees a pardon in his future.
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@Katherine Kovach Not if his case drags on until a new president is sworn in. One can only hope.
3
Appears to be a frivolous attempt to keep Mike out of prison. The facts are in and he plead guilty. Don't think the judge will throw out everything that's come before so Mike can waste taxpayer money on his way to a guilty verdict and perhaps more charges and more prison time.
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How can a person change their plea two years later?
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@Deirdre Because his plea was based on a deal with the prosecution that included no prison time. His claim is that by the government asking for a prison term, they broke their end of the agreement making it void.
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@michaelscody That's pretty funny: So they broke their end of the agreement, and he decides that he was, well, lying about being guilty?
3
And this person was a General in the military? How is that explained?
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@Jean louis LONNE Convicted and sentenced 2 years ago, never served a day in prison and never will. If his lying won't keep him out of prison a pardon will.
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Not just a general, a senior intelligence officer in the special operations community. Terrifying.
9