The Flynn affair serves as a reminder that the Trump campaign enjoyed support from a foreign power.
Despite being dismissed as President Barack Obama’s defense intelligence director, paid by Vladimir Putin’s propaganda shop, and seen dining with the Russian strongman, Michael Flynn became President Trump’s top national security aide. While Flynn’s Russian entanglements are troubling enough, they’re made more so by the outrage that Trump and company have reserved not for Flynn, but for those who exposed him.
Former acting Attorney to grudgingly dismiss him General Sally Yates told a for lying to Pence. Still, Senate subcommittee Monday Republican senators, following that she repeatedly advised Trump’s lead on the White House’s top Twitter, expressed less concern lawyer that Flynn had apparently about Yates’ warning misled Vice President than about how it became Pence about his discussions public and why she refused with Russia’s ambassador to defend Trump’s attempted during the campaign. Muslim ban, the proximate The deception meant cause of her swift dismissal. that “the national security adviser Meanwhile, responding essentially could be to reports blackmailed by the that Obama had Russians.” also warned Trump
“You don’t want about Flynn two your national security days after the election, adviser compromised White House with the spokesman Sean Russians,” Yates Spicer on Monday added. “This was a dwelt on the renewal matter of some urgency.” of Flynn’s security clearance Former Director of National during the prior administration Intelligence James Clapper, — as if that who also testified to the bureaucratic matter outweighed Senate Judiciary crime and the fact that Obama terrorism subcommittee, had fired Flynn and that said Flynn was “certainly a Trump, despite such warnings, potential vulnerability. had hired him. There’s no question about It’s no wonder that it.” Trump has grasped at distractions.
And yet Trump was far The Flynn affair quicker to fire Yates than to serves as a damning reminder get rid of Flynn. The national that even as his security adviser served 18 campaign stoked irrational more days before the Washington fears of foreign enemies Post revealed the within, it enjoyed the avid attorney general’s warning, support of a hostile foreign leading the administration power.