Trump Blames Mueller for Woes Mike Flynn Brought on Himself
Yesterday, in his COVID rally, Trump was asked whether he was thinking of pardoning Paul Manafort or Roger Stone so they’re not exposed to coronavirus in prison.
I just tell you this. Roger Stone was treated very unfairly. Paul Manafort — the black book turned out to be a fraud — we learned that during the various last number of weeks and months, they had a black book that came out of Ukraine, turned out to be a fraud. Turned out to be a fraud — they convicted a man — turned out to be a fraud! General Flynn was a highly respected person, and it turned out to be a scam on him. The FBI said, he didn’t lie. And Mueller’s people wanted him to go to jail. So what am I gonna do? You’ll find out what I’m gonna do. I’m not gonna say what I’m gonna do. But I’ll tell you the whole thing turned out to be a scam and it turned out to be a disgrace to our country. It was a take-down of a duly elected president. And these people suffered greatly. General Flynn! I mean, what they did to him! And even the FBI said, and they had some — nobody bigger fan of the FBI than me at the level of the people that really matter. But the top of the FBI was scum. And what they did to General Flynn — and you know it and everybody knows it — was a disgrace.
Unsurprisingly, all of these claims are lies.
Roger Stone was treated unfairly, but because Billy Barr intervened to override a guidelines sentence. Barr himself said the prosecution was righteous.
The black book was not proven to be a fraud. More importantly, however, it wasn’t used in the Manafort prosecution. And he pled guilty to all the money laundering alleged.
But the Flynn claim is perhaps most ridiculous of all, because it obscures why Flynn faces prison time, absolving Fox News for the role it played.
Mueller’s people didn’t want prison time for Flynn (indeed, their sweetheart deal for him was probably one of the mistakes they made). They recommended probation when he was first set to be sentenced in December 2018.
And then Flynn stepped in it by insinuating he had been ambushed in an FBI interview he willfully took and believed to be friendly.
Then Flynn stepped in it again when he fired Rob Kelner and decided to renege on his promises to cooperate against Bijan Kian.
And then he stepped in it again by letting Sidney Powell convince him to withdraw his guilty plea, multiplying his lies under oath.
Flynn may yet avoid a prison sentence and if he gets one and if BOP actually makes him report during the coronavirus Trump likely will pardon him. But Trump will only be pardoning Flynn for his own stupidity that led him, at each stage of the game, to expose himself to more and more legal danger.
So Trump rejected the alternative rationale for the pardon/commutation of Flynn, Stone or Manafort that was offered in the question–to prevent the spread of “the invisible enemy” to Trump’s 2016 ratfucking crew during a “time of war” for this President.
Perhaps Trump will use the total authority of his office to declare all ratfuckers essential workers so that Flynn, Stone, Manafort and, who knows, maybe even Cohen and Gates, can all get back to work doing the business of America–STAT.
Wait a second. The business of America is getting Trump re-elected?? Sez who?
Lol, that quoted blather by Trump is so absurd it is painful to read. Complete garbage.
The type of brainstorming that, when attempted in an elevator, will prompt people to ensure social distance.
it’s close to being his new normal.
it’s always so touching when our president expresses his frequent concern and hence caring for his short-time national security advisor and former campaign-trail buddy.
why, you might ask yourself, would a man like donald trump, who seems to care for no one but himself (and possibly his children), repeatedly express his concern for the well-being of mike flynn?
My WAG is that Flynn has some receipts that Trmp would prefer the world not see.
😉.
I just can’t help but feel that the whole getta-new-lawyer & withdraw-the-plea had some more outside impetus, some, eh *quid pro quo*.
I would just like to point out that this is NOT how anything normally happens. Once you are attorney of record on a criminal case, especially a significant one, you usually will not be allowed to “withdraw” without a stipulation for substitution of counsel affidavit where the new attorney and defendant agree that said change of counsel will not materially affect the defense as a whole, but, more importantly, the time frame of the case. It, theoretically, cannot be made for purposes of delay, the new atty HAS to say she is up to speed and ready to roll. Powell fudged about all of this.
Indeed,I have had friends on murder cases unable to withdraw despite non-payment and even claims of non-cooperation, including in state court (IL).
“Powell fudged about all of this” actually seems just a bit of understatement, to the extent that she turned it all around and, I believe, even claimed issues with prior counsel (I was hoping that door was opened and they’d be testifying).
Me, I’ll stick with civil practice. Hell, 20 years now since last using it, I recently withdrew from the Fed trial bar because I was due for a pro bono.
Yeah, it was a bit of an understatement.
I think you are correct. General Flynn could avoid jail time and even be exonerated if today’s filings truly show FBI misfeasance and malfeasance. I know you will provide commentary and will await your pithy response. I do not usually agree with you, but you write one of the more open-minded and fair commentaries.
[link shared by user: ht tps://saraacarter.com/stunning-brady-docs-disclosed-by-gov-exonerates-lt-gen-michael-flynn-defense-says/]
I think you are correct. General Flynn could avoid jail time and even be exonerated if today’s filings truly show FBI misfeasance and malfeasance. I know you will provide commentary and will await your pithy response.
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Which one of these dumb ass takes is the one you want to sit on, “Salt Of The Earth”?
I will be waiting.
And, what, exactly, is your relation to Sara Carter?
Gonna be waiting on that too.
General Flynn could avoid jail time and even be exonerated if today’s filings truly show FBI misfeasance and malfeasance. I know you will provide commentary and will await your pithy response.
[link shared by user: ht tps://saraacarter.com/stunning-brady-docs-disclosed-by-gov-exonerates-lt-gen-michael-flynn-defense-says/ ]
I remember when the idea of Trump pardoning Stone, Manafort, or Flynn was considered to be political suicide. Now? Who would hold him accountable? Who has any hope to convince people that his pardons of these convicted felons are part of his avoidance of culpability and abuse of power while thousands of people are dying weekly and after the farce in the Senate?
I mean, we would have been better off if he’d simply shot someone in the middle of 5th Ave. Far, far, better off. I’m betting Stone, Manafort, and Flynn all receive the pardons that they counted on, not because Trump has any loyalty, but because he’ll convince himself that he can, and that it won’t cost him anything, and it’ll make the right people mad.
When was that considered to be political suicide for Trump?
Use of language is a wonderful window into how a person thinks. Remember Doonsbury’s tour of Reagan’s brain? I’d love to see a tour of Trump’s. We would be treated to a fireworks display of synapses firing randomly in some parts and sequences of reasoning interrupted by showers of random firing as the internal battle rages on. Hardhats required.