Flynn’s plea brings Russia probe into Trump’s inner circle
WASHINGTON: Former US national security adviser Michael Flynn’ s guilty plea in the Russia probe has not established collusion by the Donald Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential elections, but it can eventually endanger the Trump presidency itself.
His plea has taken the Russia probe right into Trump’s inner circle of campaign aides and advisers, who later held crucial positions in his administration. When Trump was still a candidate, Flynn was a close adviser and after he became N SA, he had access to highly restricted information and deliberations and would brief the president on the same daily.
There is a very real possibility of Flynn implicating Trump. ABC News, citing a Flynn “confidant”, reported he is prepared to testify against Trump and say the president personally directed him to make contact with the Russians.
Flynn has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, but not to colluding with their meddling, which would nail the case being probed by special counsel Robert Mueller.
That said, Trump and his legal team would be very worried about several issues arising out of Flynn’s admission of guilt.
First, prosecutors only accept a plea deal when the information offered by the defendant could lead to a bigger catch. Flynn has already given Mueller’s investigators names of two men identified in court documents as “very senior official” and“senior official ”— reportedly Trump’ s sonin-law Jared Ku sh ne rand former deputy national security adviser KT McFarland.
Ku sh ne risa sc lose as it can get to Trump, which raises the question— if Trump knew about these contacts, how much did he know, and did he authorise them?
Second, Trump will wonder what information Flynn would give up. He was, after all, an early supporter and trusted adviser of the candidate.
Trump’s legal team sought to diminish Flynn’ s role in the inner circle, describing him as “a former national security advisor at the White House for 25 days during the Trump administration, and a former O ba ma administration official ”.
At the same time, Trump and his legal team would also be mindful of George Pap ada poul os —the Trump campaign aide has also pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is cooperating under a plea deal, which would not have been possible if he did have not something useful to offer. HTC