I’ll testify on Russia’s US election meddling ...if I have immunity
Ex Trump adviser has plea rejected
DONALD Trump’s controversial former national security adviser Michael Flynn has failed in his bid for immunity from prosecution to testify in the inquiry into alleged Russian election meddling.
His plea was rejected by the Senate Intelligence Committee, with an official saying it was “wildly preliminary” and the option was “not on the table”.
Flynn’s lawyer Robert Kelner had said his client “certainly has a story to tell and he very much wants to tell it” in the Congress probe into claims Russia hacked the US election.
But, accusing the media of being “awash with unfounded allegations, outrageous claims of treason and vicious innuendo” he said: “No reasonable person would submit to questioning in such a highly politicised, witch-hunt environment without assurance against unfair prosecution.”
Yet before November’s election, when it was claimed aides of Trump’s Democrat rival Hillary Clinton were given immunity in a probe over her emails, Flynn said: “When you are given immunity that means you’ve probably committed a crime.”
Retired Lt Gen Flynn, who led the Defence Intelligence Agency before being pushed out by the Obama administration, advised the Trump campaign beginning in 2015.
He served as President Trump’s national security adviser for three weeks before resigning for what the Trump administration claimed was misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to the US. Flynn was paid £36,0000 plus expenses to speak at the 10th anniversary gala of Russia’s RT television network in Moscow in December 2015, while he was already acting as an adviser to Trump. America considers statesponsored RT to be a propaganda outlet for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Three other former Trump aides, ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort and former advisers Roger Stone and Carter Page, have already offered to testify to the probe without requesting immunity. The Senate Intelligence Committee opened its hearing on Thursday, with one member saying Moscow had sought to “hijack” the US elections.
Democrat Mark Warner said Russia might have used technology to spread disinformation, including fake news for voters in key states. Panel chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, warned: “We are all targets of a sophisticated and capable adversary.”
A £20million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming fraud against Trump and his Trump University property seminars was approved by a judge in San Diego yesterday.
When you are given immunity that means you’ve probably committed a crime FLYNN IN SEPTEMBER
DONALD Trump has good reason to be afraid when the strings pulled by Russia to secure his election are an entanglement that could bring down the billionaire.
The Senate deserves huge credit for refusing short-lived National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s request for immunity from prosecution in return for spilling the beans.
Americans and the wider world are entitled to the truth, the full truth and nothing but the truth.
It isn’t fantasy to imagine Trump being kicked out of the White House before the end of his four-year term. He could always go to Russia.