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APNewsBreak: Source says Flynn to invoke 5th Amendment

Tovarisc

Member
SkWA0bR.png

https://twitter.com/AP_Politics/status/866761307952959490
 

Effnine

Member
This just crossed:

AP NewsAlert
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top House Democrat: Documents show Flynn apparently lied to US security clearance investigators on foreign payments.
 

Tovarisc

Member
CNN has more:

A new letter from the leading Democrat on the House oversight committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings, reveals new information about former national security adviser Michael Flynn and what he told investigators about his ties to foreign governments when he was interviewed about his security clearance.

According to the Report of Investigation, which Cummings refers to in his letter to committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, Flynn made false statements to investigators about who funded his foreign trips, including a 2015 trip to Russia where Flynn was paid roughly $45,000 to speak at an event in Moscow. According to the letter released today by Democrats on the committee, Flynn claimed they his trips were funded by "US companies."

The report stated that Flynn said he "had not received any benefit from a foreign country."


Flynn also claimed to investigators he had no substantial contacts with foreign government officials, saying he only had "insubstantial contact." Flynn was shown sitting next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2015 dinner.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/22/p...-flynn-letter0908PMVODtopLink&linkId=37889264
 

M.Bluth

Member
CNN has more:

A new letter from the leading Democrat on the House oversight committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings, reveals new information about former national security adviser Michael Flynn and what he told investigators about his ties to foreign governments when he was interviewed about his security clearance.

According to the Report of Investigation, which Cummings refers to in his letter to committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, Flynn made false statements to investigators about who funded his foreign trips, including a 2015 trip to Russia where Flynn was paid roughly $45,000 to speak at an event in Moscow. According to the letter released today by Democrats on the committee, Flynn claimed they his trips were funded by "US companies."

The report stated that Flynn said he "had not received any benefit from a foreign country."


Flynn also claimed to investigators he had no substantial contacts with foreign government officials, saying he only had "insubstantial contact." Flynn was shown sitting next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2015 dinner.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/22/p...-flynn-letter0908PMVODtopLink&linkId=37889264
$45k?!
Didn't know treason was so cheap.
 
$45k?!
Didn't know treason was so cheap.

Flynn was a career military guy so he wasn't really flush with cash. The way these things work is they get you for a relatively small amount of money or a small favor. Then they use that as a foundation to gradually build the relationship. If you ever try to back out, they can just blackmail you to keep you in line.
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
They should just jail him until he turns all his document over. Trump can't pardon him if he's not convicted.
The right to not incriminate oneself is as important as freedom of speech and you should probably read up on the 5th Amendment before suggesting shit like this.
 

The Llama

Member
What I personally find extremely interesting is Manafort and Stone apparently agreed to cooperate yet Flynn hasn't. Seems to me that there's either nothing or they've agreed to some sort of immunity...
 
Huh, I thought the 5th was just about testimony, I didn't realize you could withhold physical evidence using it.

I was under this impression as well, but I'm not an expert.

I thought it was in regards to testimony so that someone couldn't get caught up in semantics that could play well with the jury, etc.

Anyone who knows more, please school me!
 
I was under this impression as well, but I'm not an expert.

I thought it was in regards to testimony so that someone couldn't get caught up in semantics that could play well with the jury, etc.

Anyone who knows more, please school me!
It's mentioned in an article someone linked, but basically, while the documents themselves are not protected, the act of producing specific documents could be considered testimony.

The could hold him in contempt for this, but even then it would go to the US Attorney, who may or may not press charges.
 
They should just jail him until he turns all his document over. Trump can't pardon him if he's not convicted.

Actually...
A presidential pardon may be granted at any time, however, and as when Ford pardoned Nixon, the pardoned person need not yet have been convicted or even formally charged with a crime.

To be fair, if Trump did this, it would be just as unpopular, and just fan the fire growing around them.
 

Socivol

Member
It honestly seems like Flynn is utterly fucked. This coming from someone that doesn't think it can be definitively said Donald directly colluded with Russia.

God I hope so! He's an asshole for starting that "Lock her up!" nonsense while doing dirt himself. I am not a Hillary fan at all but the hypocrisy is just too much.
 

FStubbs

Member
You know, given Trump has shown no regard for precedence, what if he just pardoned Flynn and everyone else involved? What happens?
 

Zubz

Banned
Oh good, it's almost L 'oclock.

The whole point of it seems to be to get people talking about the corruption in this administration, though, and people are still talking about last night's terror attack, with the increased UK threat level suggesting they expect more.

That's all very important & news-worthy. That said, it splits focus if 2 big stories drop at once. I think we're on a delay for the Trump stuff for now.
 
You know, given Trump has shown no regard for precedence, what if he just pardoned Flynn and everyone else involved? What happens?

Massive political pressure. It would be a very difficult thing for the GOP to sell to their constituents so they would get punished at the polls.

Beyond that, some of the cases could be State and not federal. We know that the NY AG has his own investigation. The President can only pardon Federal charges, not state charges. Flynn could probably escape state charges but people like Manafort probably won't.
 
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