MUELLER GETS FLYNN BOOST

Nets ‘substantial’ aid for probe – & suggests no jail

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office on Tuesday recommended that Michael Flynn receive little to no prison time — due to his “substantial assistance” in the Russia investigation.

Flynn (inset), President Trump’s former national security adviser, has given Mueller’s office “firsthand information” about communications between the Trump team and a former Russian ambassador to the United States, a court filing submitted Tuesday evening says.

“Given the defendant’s substantial assistance and other considerations set forth below, a sentence at the low end of the guideline range — including a sentence that does not impose a term of incarceration — is appropriate and warranted,” the filing reads.

The papers said Flynn gave 19 interviews to investigators.

On Dec. 1, 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators. Soon after, he began providing information to assist the investigation into links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign.

Mueller’s office said that although Flynn had committed a “serious” crime by making false statements to the FBI, he has given valuable information.

“The defendant has provided firsthand information about the content and context of interactions between the transition team and Russian government officials,” the filing says.

Flynn has told the special counsel’s office that as a representative of the Trump transition team, he had communicated with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.

One of the topics discussed was sanctions imposed on Russia by then-President Barack Obama’s administration in response to Russia’s hacking and disinformation efforts during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Much of the contents of the documents relating to Flynn’s sentencing were redacted due to his ongoing cooperation with the special counsel’s office. One heavily redacted section refers to a completely separate “criminal investigation” that appears to be outside the purview of the special counsel’s office.

Mueller’s office also noted that Flynn’s timing in talking was essential to getting other witnesses to do the same.

“Additionally, the defendant’s decision to plead guilty and cooperate likely affected the decisions of related firsthand witnesses to be forthcoming with the [special counsel’s office] and cooperate,” the filing reads.

Flynn’s son, Michael Flynn Jr., thanked family supporters after learning his father would likely be spared prison time.

“God is good,” the younger Flynn tweeted Tuesday night.

“To those who have supported us throughout this process . . . Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will never forget you.”

The filing provides unwelcome news for President Trump, who has repeatedly insisted that Mueller’s probe is a “hoax” and there was “no “collusion” between the Trump’s team and Russian officials.

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told NBC News that Mueller’s investigation has not implicated the president in a crime.

“There’s a Yiddish word that fits,” Giuliani said. “They don’t have bupkis.”