The past four years have lasted approximately five decades, so pardon me if I’ve forgotten some details on the Michael Flynn situation. Flynn was Donald Trump’s first national security advisor, and Flynn didn’t even make it to the 2017 inauguration, correct? By the inauguration, he had already lied to the FBI and lied to then-Obama-NSA Susan Rice, and he was already colluding with a foreign government (Russia). The question about Flynn’s case was always… was he ordered to illegally collude with Russian operatives on Donald Trump’s say-so, or was he compromised all on his own? I think I know the answer to that – we all know, especially since Trump has spent years throwing tantrums about how Flynn never should have been charged with anything. The Flynn situation was part of Robert Mueller’s investigation, and Flynn faced several felony charges, and he even pleaded guilty to some of those charges. But now… Attorney General William Barr is dropping the whole Flynn thing.
In an abrupt about-face, the Justice Department on Thursday said it is dropping the criminal case against President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, abandoning a prosecution that became a rallying cry for the president and his supporters in attacking the FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation.
The action was a stunning reversal for one of the signature cases brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. It comes even though prosecutors for the past three years have maintained that Flynn lied to the FBI in a January 2017 interview about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Flynn admitted as much, pleading guilty before later asking to withdraw the plea, and he became a key cooperator for Mueller as the special counsel investigated ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 political campaign.
Thursday’s action was swiftly embraced by Trump, who has relentlessly tweeted about the “outrageous” case and last week pronounced Flynn “exonerated,” and it is likely to energize supporters of the president who have taken up the retired Army lieutenant general as a cause. But it will also add to Democratic complaints that Attorney General William Barr is excessively loyal to the president, and could be a distraction for a Justice Department that has sought to focus on crimes arising from the coronavirus.
“Attorney General Barr’s politicization of justice knows no bounds,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. She accused Barr’s department of “dropping the case to continue to cover up for the president.”
I just find this depressing more than anything else. I applaud anyone who has the energy left to be angry about it. Didn’t we always know/feel that the Trump administration would find some way to “pardon” all of the treasonous a–holes who worked for them? And Bill Barr has been compromised this whole time – he’s lied to Congress, he’s acted as Trump’s personal attorney rather than AG, he’s done the most to cover up and confuse the Mueller Report. This is just a logical extension of corruption. Legal scholars are raising alarms about the unprecedented nature of Barr’s actions, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Oh, wait: Trumpers apparently think Flynn is their Nelson Mandela…?
With the Justice Department announcing Thursday that it would drop the case against Michael Flynn, officials close to President Donald Trump are already gaming out ways to bring the former national security adviser back onto the national political stage. Of the nine senior Trump administration officials, campaign staff, outside advisers, and longtime associates of the president reached on Thursday, all said that they wanted Flynn to assume some public-facing role in service of the president, including potentially as an official Trump surrogate as Election Day inches closer. One even compared the ex-general, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials, to one of history’s greatest human rights icons.
“Years ago when Nelson Mandela came to America after years of political persecution he was treated like a rock star by Americans,” John McLaughlin, one of President Trump’s chief pollsters, told The Daily Beast on Thursday evening. “Now after over three years of political persecution General Flynn is our rock star. A big difference is that he was persecuted in America.”
Trump himself seems determined to see it happen. According to a source who has spoken to the president about Flynn in the past month, Trump had made clear that if legal circumstances permitted, he would want Flynn to get “something good” in his political orbit following years of bad press and legal turmoil. The source said it was unclear if Trump meant a job in the administration, a role for the 2020 campaign, or another position. But the remark was in keeping with other comments that the president made throughout Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
I just feel sick to my stomach that there’s a chunk of American society capable of twisting themselves into knots to believe that a corrupt, treasonous liar working for Russia is somehow a freedom fighter in the vein of Nelson Mandela.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
Trying a last ditch effort to reinvigorate the base? Since the polls and the death toll certainly aren’t looking good for him, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was 100% being used to pull back the crazier supporters into the fold.
I believe it’s much worse. It’s trump acting as strongman and alerting his troops that they can break any law for him, and he will make sure they are not punished. That’s far more dangerous to our democracy than one election.
That’s also very likely sounding. Terrifying. I mean, I think we all assumed he was getting to that point, but it’s just getting more and more brazen.
Darla- it’s my tin foil hat theory that the Dotard is so against Vote by Mail because he the machines in key states rigged for him to win. I suspect they did this in 2016, and that this wide scale election fraud is the sin that binds the other key Repubs to him.
I think that’s likely Rapunzel. I keep thinking to myself, we have to take the Senate, we HAVE to take the Senate. If he loses, we need the Senate for dems to get anything done, and if he steals this…the Senate can make him a lame duck on day one.
100% Darla. It’s a message to the others who committed felonies at Trump’s direction. He’s assuring them that he’s their advocate.
Unfortunately, I completely agree with you.
This is just one more nail in the coffin……………..it is evidence that all checks and balances are now lost. I am outraged and frightened. There is no one currently in government who can stop this runaway train.
Please everyone I beg you to vote. There will be nothing left if this is allowed to continue. We are truly in a time where we, the average citizens, are completely irrelevant. They do not care about you or your well-being. It’s all a cash and power grab for the republicans. Enough is never enough for these people; it’s a game and it “sucks to be you”. To them we are the dupes who pay taxes and weren’t smart enough to steal, rape and pillage to get ahead. This is nothing new. Just read any history book. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot about the fall of the Roman republic and now about the 17th century papacy and it feels like I’m reading the news on a CNN website. Frightening.
Our ability to work towards a decent life, to take care of our health, count on Social Security/ medicare in our retirement, etc. are all in jeopardy. Take a lesson from the republicans and tightly circle the wagons around all the democratic candidates (imperfections and all). I truly believe our lives depend on it.
Stay safe.
Great post Traveler. I agree 100%.
It is very depressing. BTW did you see James Woods’ tweet about this? I just sat there staring at it for a moment. It’s so hateful (toward Hillary Clinton) that it hits you in the face. But it didn’t make me angry either. First, overwhelmed, and then just very sad. That man hates. He’s a ball of hate. And from the stories I’ve read about how he treated people when he actually got acting jobs back in the day, this man has always hated. What a life, huh?
So many of these trumpsters celebrating the release of a traitor, have no morals, no values, no boundaries. Their driving force is hate. And they hate liberals. So anything that upsets liberals is something to be celebrated. Whether it be babies in cages or making heroes of traitors.
I’m working on putting aside my own anger, which they work hard to incite, and making sure that in fighting them, I don’t become them. Like, it’s an old story I know? But, man, I don’t want to be them.
I wish I could love this comment 1000000 times.
Especially this part: “ I’m working on putting aside my own anger, which they work hard to incite, and making sure that in fighting them, I don’t become them. Like, it’s an old story I know? But, man, I don’t want to be them.”
All the hate really is something to behold. I’ve been feeling the same way every time I see Laura Ingraham’s sneering face…what every happened to her to make her so nasty and hate-filled? We have some seriously miserable people among us. People often say it’s because of declining quality in education…but I don’t know.
As for Barr/Flynn, it’s just chilling. As is the propaganda that the MAGAs are gleefully spewing. I remember John Ashcroft scaring the beejeezus out of me back in the W Bush era but Barr is next level evil.
Judge Sullivan, who wanted to know why Flynn wasn’t charged with treason, still has to approve the withdrawal. It would be unusual if he didn’t but he’ll definitely have lots of questions first, including asking why the attorneys who were actually handling the case resigned.
Good point. A tiny ray of hope but I’m not holding my breath that actual justice will prevail here.
@lightpurple, you are correct. The Judge has to sign off on this & I am not sure he will. He can place the prosecutor under oath & ask him questions to aid his decision. The side note would be IF (please please please) Trump loses in November the new AG (I’m looking at you, Adam Schiff) could charge Flynn with Treason which should have been the original charge
It is pretty unprecedented for charges to be dropped months after a guilty plea where several admissions are made. This is authoritarian behaviour. Americans really should be upset at this.
The judge may refuse the request. Once there is a guilty plea, it should be in the judges hands and not the prosecutor, but it’s hard to say what will happen. A judge can ignore a joint sentence recommendation so maybe they can ignore this as well.
Question, when 🤞Trump is not reelected this fall, can Flynn be recharged?
If the judge agrees to the dismissal, and it is rare that a judge would do otherwise, no, not on these charges because the motion has been filed for a dismissal with prejudice. They could file on other charges but Flynn did not confess to the other charges so it would be a lengthy, nasty trial.
@lightpurple, thank you.
When Flynn pled guilty, he admitted to other crimes as well for which he has not been charged, including acting as an unregistered foreign agent on Turkey’s behalf. He can be charged with those crimes until March 2022 and it would pretty much be an open and shut case since he has admitted to them under oath.
I can’t begin to express my anger, rage really. It’s making me physically ill, but I refuse to let go of it. Flynn, IMO, is a traitor to this country. And Barr answers only to his god and he’s using 45 and the GOP’s following to promote his own religious agenda.
I find Barr’s actions repulsive and should probably be investigated as illegal. Barr is nothing but Drumpfs puppet and pretty soon Drumpf nasty hand will come out of Barr’s mouth since his hand is shoved so far up his arse!
What a day. I spent this lockdown day watching The Loudest Voice in the Room, Farenheit 11/9 and now this. 😖
The pandemic has taken the ability to safely assemble for peaceful protest. What else can people do beyond preparing for another potentially compromised election?
The Republicans are of course exploiting this crisis as much as they can.
This will be forgotten by next week because some other unconscionable act of hanus injustice is just around the corner. It always is with this administration. I don’t have the energy for this one. It’s now OK to lie to the FBI and commit treason, just as long as you’re a rich white republican male. Fine. It’ll be the same the next time and the time after that. We’re surviving some awful shit right now, and like Kaiser said it is exhausting.
I’m not surprised as we live in the Kleptocratic States of America! Mark my words, they will find a way to fix the election in Trump’s favor, even if that means delaying it or letting the post office go bankrupt to stifle voters. Don’t worry though, I don’t believe Trump will be in office for much longer. He’ll hand the reigns over to Daughter-Wife and the evil ventriloquist doll.
For those saying his term will automatically end on January 20, 2021 if there is no election or votes are still being contested, who s going to enforce this? They have the executive branch, the Senate, DoJ and SCOTUS. They are basically flaunting their power at this point. There’s still six months left until November. A lot of laws can be changed in that time period. Look at what recently occurred in Russia. They changed Russia’s constitution to allow Putin to run for more terms beyond 2024. Watch the same thing happen here for the Trump family. If Trump does soundly lose in November, there’s still three months until the president-elect’s inauguration. You think they won’t do as much damage as they ca within that time perod?
Fortunately it is pretty hard to amend the constitution. 2/3rd of the senate & the House & 3/4th of the states must ratify the amendment before it becomes part of the constitution. Think of how long they have been trying to get the ERA part of the constitution which simply states men & women are equal under the law
I have very little faith in our institutions at this point. So much of what’s happened with the Trump administration has been unprecedented and unthinkable. I’m afraid they will find a way.
Don’t worry. Joe Biden will raise Hell over this.
But what will that accomplish?
It’ll get the base fired up.
Joe can’t motivate anybody. Dude is a ham sandwich with teeth, no mustard.
Who cares if he is exciting or a “ham sandwich”! What the eff is the alternative. Stand behind him no matter what. Stand behind all of them (Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, etc.) trying to fight the disease which is the republican party right now. Our only chance is in solidarity.
I shouldn’t have read this story last night before going to bed. I was so depressed and depleted.
Same. I’ve had insomnia the past few nights worrying about a variety of things and last night was the worst. So far. Hugs.
I’m sorry Esmom, I hope you feel better soon. What a terrible time to have to get through.
This sounds so silly. To admit. But I actually look forward to commiserating with like-minded people on this site. I have a bestie on the upper east coast I text with about the horrors we’re living through. Sometimes we find laughter which is healing, but mostly we can’t believe the current crap topped yesterday’s crap.
Thanks, Darla and Mabs. As much as I enjoy chatting with my friends in real life, this place has been special for me for a long time. Since my college age kids were little and I was isolated, working from home and trying to juggle their needs.
Yes he can be. Since the case was “at the moment” dropped he can be recharged as this would supersede the rule of not being tried twice for a crime since he pled guilty but was completely adjudicated. However I believe a new AG will charge him with treason which is what he should have been charged with (& the judge agrees with me) he aided and abetted a foreign government against the United States. I personally feel that he should be striped of his rank & all monies he receives from his military pension. However I have family that are buried at Arlington so I don’t have any questions that this man is a traitor. He is a stooge for both Erdogan & Putin.
Judge Emmet Sullivan, the federal judge that was presiding over the case was not taking any guff from Flynn or his legal team. I truly think that hearing that a black man in a position of power not kowtowing to these criminals is a bridge to far.
I’ll believe he’s Mandela once he does twenty seven years in prison like Mandela.
My comment to share in the outrage but at this point… nothing matters. What is down us up. What is blue is pink. What is wrong is right. I just can’t. So many words to describe how wrong this is, but I’ve used them a thousand times before. Suffice to say, Mamba Out.