President Trump’s legal team plans to cast former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn as a liar seeking to protect himself if he accuses the president or his senior aides of any wrongdoing, according to three people familiar with the strategy.
The approach would mark a sharp break from Trump’s previously sympathetic posture toward Flynn, whom he called a “wonderful man” when Flynn was ousted from the White House in February. Earlier this month, the president did not rule out a possible pardon for Flynn, who is cooperating with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Attorneys for Trump and his top advisers have privately expressed confidence that Flynn does not have any evidence that could implicate the president or his White House team. But since Flynn’s cooperation agreement with prosecutors was made public earlier this month, the administration has been strategizing how to neutralize him in case the former national security adviser does make any claims.
Flynn is the most senior former Trump adviser known to be providing information to Mueller’s team. The lenient terms of his plea agreement suggest he has promised significant information to investigators, legal experts said.
Trump’s legal team has seized on Flynn’s agreement with prosecutors as fodder for a possible defense, if necessary. In court filings, the retired lieutenant general admitted that he lied to the FBI about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the December 2016 transition.
“He’s said it himself: He’s a liar,” said one person helping craft the strategy who was granted anonymity to describe private conversations.
You may remember that Trump asked James Comey to back off of the Flynn investigation, and then fired him when he did not comply, which suggests that he has long feared what Flynn might reveal.
This such an obvious and transparent attempt to discredit Michael Flynn that you would think Trump's attorneys would avoid it like the plague.
But the fact that this is where they feel they have the best hope of launching a defense speaks to their level of desperation.
So much for the loyalty pledge, eh dotard?
ReplyDeleteThat's a one-way street; and only in Trumplethinskin's direction.
DeleteTiny gonads, tiny fingers, tiny brains. It is terrible to waste such tiny space.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the world to see there is video of 45 saying that Flynn is a "good guy". So which is it? They can't even make up their minds about their lies.
ReplyDeleteThat's rich. FLYNN is the liar? HAHAHAHAHA
ReplyDeleteI needed a good laugh.
Yeh, Trump says he hired "the best people" -- his BEST lawyers aren't that at all, they are just ass kissers, the only people Trump hires, and he'll turn on them the minute they are disloyal.
ReplyDeleteWho hasn't he done that to? Oh iskanka
ReplyDeleteFlynn went rogue years ago. Military has strict code of conduct. Flynns only course of survival is to throw trump under the clown car and confess the collusion.
ReplyDeleteTrump acts like a mobster, not a President.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this has anything to do with what Trump's lawyers think is the best defense. I think they are doing as they are told. I think this is about Trump telling them what he wants them to do. Trump thinks he knows better about everything, even the law. He certainly knows more than his lawyers. He hires guys that will do as they're told as much as they can within the law. I'm sure Trump's decisions are largely against their advice, but when, when has anyone been able to give advice to Donald Judas Trump. Sure give it. But have it taken seriously? Acted upon? Listened to and considered even? Nope.
ReplyDeleteDonnie is calling these shots. That's why they are so dog-awful stupid. Of course any good lawyer wouldn't do that. That's how you know the lawyers aren't in charge, Donnie is.