Trump urges Flynn to cut immunity deal

President cites ‘witch hunt’ over Russia inquiries.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump urged his former national security adviser to strike an immunity deal Friday in Congress’ probe of Russian meddling in the presidential election, even as investigators rebuffed Michael Flynn’s offer of cooperation in exchange for protection from prosecution.

Trump tweeted that Flynn, the adviser he fired in February, should ask for immunity because he’s facing “a witch hunt.”

The president weighed in the day after Flynn’s attorney confirmed the immunity discussions with the Senate and House intelligence committees. A congressional aide said Flynn’s preliminary discussions with the Senate intelligence committee involved immunity but that it was too early in the investigation to set terms. The aide was not authorized to discuss private conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Justice Department, which is also investigating, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was unclear from Trump’s tweet whether he was advising the Justice Department or the congressional panels to give Flynn immunity. The president is not supposed to direct ongoing investigations.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump just wants Flynn to testify, and there are no concerns that Flynn could implicate the president in any wrongdoing.

The top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said committee leaders would be discussing the issue with their Senate counterparts and the Justice Department.

“We should first acknowledge what a grave and momentous step it is for a former national security adviser to the president of the United States to ask for immunity from prosecution,” Schiff said in a statement.

Flynn’s attorney, Robert Kelner, said no “reasonable person” who has a lawyer would answer questions without assurances that he would not be prosecuted, given calls from some members of Congress that Flynn should face criminal charges.

The retired lieutenant general seemed to have a different view last September when he weighed in on the implications of immunity on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” criticizing Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her associates in the FBI’s investigation into her use of a private email server.

“When you are given immunity, that means that you have probably committed a crime,” Flynn said during the interview.

His own lawyer, Kelner, said Thursday, “General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit.”

Spicer said the president “thinks he should go out and tell his story.” Flynn’s ties to Russia have been scrutinized by the FBI and are under investigation by the congressional committees.