Flynn pleads Fifth, defies Senate order
UNITED STATES: Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, has defied a Senate summons to hand over documents relating to the investigation into alleged links between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
The Senate intelligence committee had issued a subpoena asking for personal papers dealing with his contacts with Russian officials. In a letter to the committee, Flynn cited ‘‘escalating public frenzy’’ as the reason for his refusal.
The retired general, who was sacked after 24 days in the job, is expected to invoke his right to silence for fear of incriminating himself under the Fifth Amendment. He refused an informal request for documents last month, and demanded immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying before Congress and the FBI.
He was revealed to have engaged in back-channel discussions with Russia and taken payments from a Turkish businessman without disclosure, and was finally dismissed for misleading Mike Pence, the vice-president, about his contacts with Russia.
Flynn is now the focus of investigations in four congressional committees and the justice department, which last week appointed a special counsel to determine if members of the Trump campaign engaged in illegal activity.
The president has steadfastly defended his former adviser, and was alleged to have asked James Comey, the recently dismissed FBI director, to ease up on the investigation into Flynn – a charge Trump flatly denied.
However, those claims, and Flynn’s reluctance to comply with requests to co-operate with investigators, have fanned the controversy. ‘‘If any president tries to impede an investigation, that would be problematic, a potential obstruction of justice,’’ Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, said. ‘‘This cloud is impacting everything else.’’
Trump has defended Flynn since his ouster and called on him to strike an immunity deal because Flynn is facing a ‘‘witch hunt’’. The president’s comments are in stark contrast to his harsh words during the 2016 campaign for people who received immunity or invoked the Fifth Amendment in the probe of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
‘‘You see, the mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?’’ Trump said during a September campaign rally in Iowa.
Flynn’s attorney Robert Kelner said in March that Flynn wants to tell his story ‘‘should the circumstances permit.’’ He noted it would be unreasonable for Flynn to agree to be questioned by the committee ‘‘without assurances against unfair prosecution.
Trump himself walked back into the Russia controversy during his visit to Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, standing beside him, was asked Monday if he had any concerns about intelligence sharing with the US.
After Netanyahu responded — he said the cooperation was terrific — Trump volunteered he ‘‘never mentioned the word or the name Israel’’ during his recent Oval Office conversation with top Russian diplomats.
That comment referred to revelations that he divulged classified information about an Islamic State threat in his May 10 meeting in the Oval Office with Russia’s foreign minister and ambassador. US officials have said the information originated with Israel.