Trump ‘plans to pardon Michael Flynn’ after ex-National Security Adviser admitted to lying to FBI about Russia contacts
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has is said to be planning to pardon his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts during the 2016 general election.
reportedly informed confidants of his plan to pardon - but made it clear he could still change his mind, sources told on Tuesday.
Flynn, a retired lieutenant general, ran into problems during the presidential transition in 2016.
At the time, Flynn told former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak over the phone not to escalate after the Obama administration put sanctions on Russia for election interference.
Flynn lied that he had not talked about the Russian sanctions to Vice President Mike Pence, who conveyed the information to the media.
agents interviewed Flynn in January 2017 regarding a counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Afterward, Flynn admitted he lied to the FBI as part of a plea deal with Robert Mueller, the special counsel who led the investigation into Russian interference in the election and possible links to the Trump campaign.
Flynn’s legal team accused the FBI of setting him up and claimed it was part of an effort to discredit the Russia investigation, and Trump supporters believed the Obama administration unfairly targeted him.
The former national security adviser cooperated with Mueller’s probe and his sentencing was delayed.
In January, Flynn’s legal team alleged that misconduct occurred with prosecutors and tried to withdraw his guilty plea.
Attorney General Bill Barr, who has been viewed as a Trump ally, appointed a federal prosecutor to look over Flynn’s case and that prosecutor found that the FBI’s interview with Flynn was "conducted without any legitimate investigative basis."
However, District Judge Emmet Sullivan did not drop the charges against Flynn and instead requested outside legal experts to provide feedback on the matter.
Flynn’s lawyers appealed to try to push Sullivan to comply with the Justice Department motion but an appeals court sided with the judge.
At a hearing in September, Flynn’s attorney Sidney Powell said she had recently asked Trump not to pardon her client.
If Trump indeed pardons Flynn, his case would no longer be subject to the courts but rather the Justice Department, which will be controlled by incoming President Joe Biden.
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Sources told Axios that Flynn is just one of several individuals Trump plans to pardon before he departs from the White House.
Trump has used his pardon power to help his allies, including commuting the sentence of his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone earlier this year.
Stone was convicted in 2019 of lying to Congress and witness tampering, also in connection with Mueller’s Russia probe.