Path to Flynn resignation laid over weeks of denials

WASHINGTON — Perhaps the most striking thing about Michael Flynn’s resignation as national security adviser is that it didn’t come sooner.

Yet the situation didn’t come to a head until the public disclosures last week of Flynn’s faulty recollection of the call — and specifically, the fact that it included talk about sanctions, which Flynn and Vice President Mike Pence had both denied.

Which leads to the question: Was the White House concerned that Flynn had apparently lied to them — or at least done something he shouldn’t have and failed to disclose it?

It’s a fair question, especially since the administration had, up until late Monday, given no indication that Flynn’s job was in jeopardy. Early Monday evening, Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway even said the administration had “full confidence” in Flynn. Yet just minutes later, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump was “evaluating the situation.” Hours later, Flynn resigned.

It’s a bit complex. So it’s worth deconstructing with a timeline:

Flynn, a former lieutenant general who had been selected as Trump’s national security adviser, holds a phone call with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. Despite Flynn’s later denials, the two of them discuss sanctions and the possibility of relieving them once Trump is president — this despite the Obama administration preparing new sanctions for Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.

For the first time, Flynn’s talks with the Russian ambassador are reported, though there are

Late December: Jan. 13:

few details.

Flynn assures Pence, who was then the vice president-elect, that the two of them didn’t discuss sanctions, according to Pence.

Pence tells “Fox News Sunday”: “I talked to General Flynn yesterday, and the conversations that took place at that time were not in any way related to the new U.S. sanctions against Russia or the expulsion of diplomats.”

Jan. 14: Jan. 15:

Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who would later be relieved of her duties by Trump because she declined to defend his travel ban, informs the White House counsel of Flynn’s misleading statements and warns that they were so egregious that he could open himself up to Russian blackmail, given Russia knew he had mischaracterized the call to his superiors. The White House does not amend its statements to reflect that new knowledge.

Late January:

The Washington Post reports that Flynn did discuss sanctions with the Russian ambassador. Flynn initially denies this to the newspaper. Then a spokesperson says Flynn “

Feb. 9:

couldn’t be certain that the topic (of sanctions) never came up.”

Trump says he is unaware of the reports but that he will “look into” it.

Feb. 10: Monday late afternoon:

The Washington Post reports that the Justice Department had told the White House last month “that Flynn had so mischaracterized his communications with the Russian diplomat that he might be vulnerable to blackmail by Moscow.”

Around 5 p.m. Monday:

Conway says the White House has “full confidence” in Flynn and seemed to excuse him for having forgotten that he discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Monday:

Spicer issues a statement. “The president is evaluating the situation,” it said. “He’s speaking to the vice president relative to the conversation the vice president had with Gen. Flynn, and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is: our national security.”

Shortly before 11 p.m. Monday:

Flynn resigns.

MARIO TAMA/GETTY Vice President Mike Pence and Michael Flynn denied sanctions were discussed by Flynn and Russia’s envoy.