Special counsel Robert Mueller is recommending no prison time for retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, citing the former national security adviser’s “substantial assistance” in his ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
“Given the defendant’s substantial assistance and other considerations set forth,” the special counsel wrote, “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.”
Flynn, whose sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition period from Election Day 2016 to Trump’s inauguration in January 2017. As part of his plea agreement, Flynn agreed to cooperate with the Mueller investigation.
Under federal guidelines, the retired Army lieutenant general’s crime carries a penalty of up to six months in prison. But court observers say if Flynn satisfactorily cooperated with the special counsel, he could avoid prison time.
Upon learning of Mueller’s sentencing suggestion, a source close to Flynn said his family is relieved and happy tonight that the special counsel is recommending no prison time for him.
“Jail time wouldn’t be a good thing for him,” the source told ABC News.
More at ABC News
Mueller bankrupted a good, decent, honest man on the outside hope that he could get something useful from him. He failed. He can’t give him a prison sentence because he didn’t do anything wrong. General Flynn should be reimbursed out of the money the DNC is paying Mueller to try to unseat Trump.
@Deplorable Me, #1:
Twenty three redacted lines on pages 9 to 10 of the GOVERNMENT’S MEMORANDUM IN AID OF SENTENCING concerning Michael Flynn should tell you there’s plenty that he revealed to Mueller’s investigative team concerning the Russian collusion case. This lengthy description of what Flynn told them about will only remain redacted until all charges have been filed in connection with the investigation. What it says will then become public.
Trump’s problem is that General Flynn, who apparently knows plenty, quickly realized he’d taken a seriously wrong turn, and decided to once again become an honest man. Ultimately General Flynn chose wisely, reclaiming his honor at the cost of abandoning loyalty to those who have none. The sentencing recommendation is an acknowledgement of that.
The memorandum was filed with the court only a few hours ago. It’s the clearest indication thus far that things are soon going to hit the fan for the Trump organization.
@Greg:
It has about nothing to do with Russia. Nothing.
Delighted, I hope the Generals nightmare is over, his treatment was the spark that tipped off those who are familiar with how things work , unmasking, spying, FISA abuse, process crimes. Transcripts of conversations, all at first denied it was a just conspiracy theory they said. Flynn did nothing wrong. He can say what ever he wants cause there was never any campaign connections with Russians. Mueller may now become the hunted is is up to his eyeballs in real conspiracies, the fixer may just be in quite a fix, multiple patriotic whistle blowers.
I hope Mueller the treasonous scum gets it right up the wazoo.
@Greg: Even what General Flynn reportedly “lied” about (the FBI agents say he didn’t, but Mueller attacked and bankrupted him anyway, just for fun) was not illegal. He has no “revelations” about anything Trump did illegally because there isn’t any. If there was, Obama’s illegal surveillance would have exposed it and it would have been used to prevent him from becoming President.
As we know, the only Russian collusion was committed by Obama (promising to be “flexible” then blocking efforts to prevent Russian meddling), Hillary (who approved, in exchange for millions of dollars, Russians buying and removing 20% of our uranium, then getting false dirt on Trump from Russians) and the DNC (who PAID for the Steele dossier). You are about to run out of straws to grasp at.
Why has Mueller not mentioned that he has KNOWN trump never had any back channel communication with Putin?
I guess this subject is a good one to ask again, would it be bad if the media lied to us?
@kitt: Mueller should have to reimburse General Flynn for every dime he paid for his defense out of the money the DNC is paying him to continue dragging out this “investigation”.
Why give him something he would enjoy?
Horrors!
Isn’t that almost word-for-word what Pres Trump said about Gen Flynn?
Feb 2017:
Comey’s memo reportedly “quotes” Trump telling him, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
Well, at least the Trump haters cost Gen Flynn his house.
@Nan G: They can’t get to Trump, so destroying good people around him seems to get them off. Mueller is scum for what he did to Gen. Flynn and those cheering this on are scum.
@Deplorable Me:
My own x-ray specs aren’t so good that I can read what’s hidden beneath all of those black redaction bars on the sentencing memo. We’ll eventually find out. In any case, it wasn’t Robert Mueller who drew Michael Flynn into the situation he found himself in, any more than it was Obama who created a situation involving a suspicions pattern of foreign contacts that it would have been criminal negligence not to have investigated.
I think the Russian collusion question is at the very center of Robert Mueller’s investigation, and that everything he has looked into as Special Counsel is either about that question itself, or a calculated step toward getting answers to it. The man is a totally professional and highly competent criminal investigator. I don’t believe he gives a damn about the politics of the situation. That’s not the same as saying there will be no political consequences. They’re just not Mueller’s concern.
@Greg:
Well, actually in fact, it was because, as the FBI agents stated, Gen. Flynn did nothing wrong. But Mueller makes it a practice to attack people, bankrupt them, threaten them to try and get them to lie for him. It worked with Cohen, apparently not with anyone else.
Your x-ray eyes can’t see the obvious but they see a lot that is not there but only implied. Slowly but surely the dead-bang accusation of Russian collusion gets talked about less and less while the left goes wild over Cohen confessing he lied… sometime, but Trump hasn’t. In that process, Mueller accidentally reveals he suppressed the fact that there never was any secret back-channel directly to Putin, as was accused.
Mueller is a lying piece of trash, just for what he did to Gen. Flynn if nothing else. He is now the subject of 4 separate legal suits alleging false accusations, obstruction of justice and trying to coerce a witness to lie. And, as we all know, the accusations makes him guilty until he can prove himself innocent… right? So, as a guilty man, he should resign and apologize to the American people for the $40 million garbage he is.
FBI agents who interviewed Flynn recorded that they saw no indications leading them to believe that he was intentionally lying during their interview. That was their recorded impression at the time. This is not the same thing as stating he did nothing wrong. Such impressions are routinely recorded only as aids to the investigative process, not as findings.
That was never anyone’s opinion until Robert Mueller was charged with investigating Donald Trump. Anyone who is critical of Donald Trump or his administration seems to automatically receive similar treatment.
The demonstrable truth is that Donald Trump lies constantly. It’s not simply that he has occasionally told lies, as have all human beings. His nature is that of a liar. He lies and sees no wrong in it. He uses lies as a tool.
Not so.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/12/muellers_perjury_traps.html
@Greg: Oh. So based on their first hand experiencing the General’s words the conclusion was he didn’t lie, but that is INconclusive? Seems kind of definitive to me.
Well, that’s not completely true.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-16/special-prosecutor-mueller-political-hack
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/01/trumprussia_not_muellers_first_botched_investigation.html
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/conspiracy-of-silence-about-mueller/
https://donsurber.blogspot.com/2017/12/mueller-is-disaster.html
But this was the first time he destroyed a respected and honorable military man because he wanted the left to cheer him on. That is scumbaggery, in my book. But, the same holds true for Trump, too, doesn’t it? He was never a racist until he ran for President against Hillary.
No, not at all. What has been demonstrated is that the left will squander $40 million on a HUNCH they can find SOMETHING to discredit Trump with. No one thought for a moment there was any “Russian collusion” around Trump because they all knew who made up the “evidence”, who paid for it, what it was for and where it came from… the reason they did not mention these details to the FISA judge to get the warrant to spy on Trump during his campaign… which uncovered NOTHING.
From Flynn’s sentencing recommendation memo:
Remember those words, and the 23 redacted lines detailing the nature of the assistance.
@Greg: Redactions are only for one reason, Mueller and his cohorts hiding incriminating evidence of their own crimes.
@Mully:
And impresses people like Greg.
@Greg: We’ll remember when Trump declassifies the FISA warrants and other documentation proving Trump is innocent and Mueller has know it all along.
@Deplorable Me: Another one bites the dust, you can run boy, but ask Comey, you cant hide. Bill Priestap, will retire from his post as assistant director of the FBI’s counterintelligence division by the end of the year.
How many is that down the old swirler?
@kitt, #14:
The redaction is to avoid revealing sensitive information about parts of the investigation that are still in progress. Unless classified material is involved, and in this case there’s no indication that there is, the information that has been redacted will become public once the investigations in question are completed and charges, if any, are filed. The judge already has the entire document.
@Greg: Since Mueller is such a glory-whore and has to keep the intensity around this “investigation” high, the redactions probably conceal the fact that there IS nothing, WAS nothing and WILL BE nothing that indicates Trump violated any laws or rules.
@Greg:
We already heard that line its been used, only to find out redactions were to hide embarrassing material, and clues to more unethical or shady behavior.
I suppose we will see when everything is declassified.
It’s no wonder the youth in this country is so screwed up. With leftist adults supporting these Stalinist tactics and other Marxists ideals, it’s only natural their offspring (the ones they haven’t aborted) would do the same.
https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/walter-e-williams/walter-williams-miseducated-or-stupid
@Greg: Well, it’s a moot point anyway, since this whole collusion sham is way to cover a) The Dems shock at losing an election, and admitting they are not as popular as they think, and b) that Russia was trying to help Clinton with the election…along with a corrupt DNC that supplanted the democratic process to install Clinton as their nominee.
In summary, nothing…NOTHING will ever come of this. Don is clear.
But I’m glad the Dems have painted themselves in a corner with this one. Fun to watch…
Trump, about 5 minutes ago:
The man is digressing to angry-7-year-old insults and taunts—from his former 12-year-old level. Mr. President, do you recall who appointed Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State to begin with?
No doubt. Most often such “counter reports” are presented in a courtroom by someone acting as an accused’s defense attorney.
I do agree we should be careful in the future about choosing presidential candidates that this could happen to. To the credit of the voters, a majority of them recognized there was a problem before they voted.
FOX News, a few minutes ago: Trump lashes out at Tillerson after criticism: ‘He was dumb as a rock’
@Greg: Just thank God we never chose the despicable criminal Hillary.
Decades of tax-payer funded investigations of the Clintons, and all we ever got to show for in the way of high crimes and misdemeanors was evidence that Bill lied to cover up a consensual extramarital fling with Monica Lewinsky.
We’ll soon see how Donald & Co’s dirty laundry compares.
We could also compare competency in office. Trump is utterly inept. He can’t even keep his administration positions filled. How many have gotten on and off his merry go round? If they’re all as bad as he always claims they are when given the boot, he apparently has very serious problems picking them to begin with.
@Greg:
Ok Gutted manufacturing via trade agreements, Turning Lincoln Bedroom into fundraising condo, Battle of Mogadishu ie Black Hawk down, Operation Nifty Package, there is more but those are just the ones off the top of my head. I know he had 8 whole years to mess stuff up, but lets compare after Trump’s 8 years.
What an effing mess—his friends and his cabinet picks turn on him -he fires and badmouths them—one minute he calls them great –next minute they’re stupid and incompetent Appears to be ZERO contact with Kelly—God knows what Gen. Mattis is thinking
To counter he’s gonna hire Fox News anchors to cabinet level posts.
Mueller has gathered extremely damaging info about the families dealings
Trump—I’m gonna issue a report that rebuts Muellers’—-Good luck with Rudy writing that one.
Maybe the teetotaler should start drinking–it’s getting uglier by the hour.
@kitt: Also, allowing Hillary to run roughshod over the FBI and White House Travel Office, setting up the 2008 recession with his social engineering through Community Reinvestment Act.
I’ll bet working for Trump is no picnic. He demands perfection and success and not everyone is up to it. Compare that to the Obama administration that rewarded failure and corruption with pensions and positions, protecting criminals with bribes.
@Richard Wheeler: Tillerson was a poor pick, thats on Trump, he expects his agenda to be worked on and Tillerson being a hot shot CEO expected it to get done by underlings faithful to the last admin. No doubt there was a total cluster left by the last 2 SOS, something in the oil industry isnt likely. I dont like the comments by either man. Why did Tillerson go tell tales out of school? His job performance so crappy he was fired by tweet.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/29/how-rex…
So now the liberals will love him cause he bad mouthed Trump.
@kitt: Keep in mind, the nation was left in quite a mess. Up until the Trump administration, failure and then handing the problem over to the next administration was always an option; with Obama is was a choice. No doubt many come into the service of this administration expecting to take on a problem and just flop around with it until the next team comes along and they can tag out of it. Trump is the kind of guy that everything reflects upon him and he doesn’t like mediocrity. Not everyone is up to the task. If it weren’t for the Democrats trying to bring him down, and the nation along with him, we would all benefit greatly from this demand for excellence.
Trump doesn’t pick political hacks. He chose Sessions to be the Attorney General and protect American justice, not recuse himself in the face of a seditious threat to his Presidency. Likewise, he expects all his people to fight for him because he is fighting for America and Americans.
@Deplorable Me: You knowTrump hasnt said a thing until Tillerson opened a yap in a negative way, we know how he reacts. Much ado about nuthin.
@kitt: Yet Trump is the only person in the country expected to “act like an adult”. Don’t start nuthin, won’t be nuthin.
Quite simply –Yes as President of the United States he is EXPECTED to act like an adult—he seems unable to do so and therefor will NEVER receive approval of a majority of Americans.
We can agree he got lucky running against HRC—THIS WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN.
People–especially women–voiced their displeasure in 2018 and this trend will continue until he is able to act like an adult—old dog/new tricks?? can’t do it–keep up your CHILDLIKE twittering OLD DOG.
@Richard Wheeler: What makes democrat women happy anyway? So many men GTOW now. Looks like Cohen isnt going to get off easy.
How do we know Mueller’s investigation is not based on a political vendetta? Because Democrats simply would not stoop to such a thing, would they?
https://www.dailywire.com/news/39160/ocasio-cortez-threatens-retaliate-against-trump-jr-ryan-saavedra?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=062316-news&utm_campaign=howerton&fbclid=IwAR2NDzAQ3jw8KBQDzICXNQPWKNpCKOUQIstfpScVT4fiFQaEQiA7yYgOo4k
@kitt: Cohen didn’t tell good enough lies.
@Deplorable Me: Mueller is a decorated Marine Corps Officer who served with honor in Viet Nam. That’s good enough for me,
Ocasio-Cortez—29 yr old rookie–why such concern?
RE Cohen Manhattan prosecutors say he acted “in coordination and at the direction” of DT in paying Daniels and 2nd female accuser. Is there any doubt fixer Cohen and adulterer Trump were joined at the hip?
Kitt–It’s Republican women turning on Trump that gave House to the Dems.
@Richard Wheeler:
Ummm, you Democrats didn’t think it would happen the first time, remember? Every Democrat talking head just knew HRC would win.
And you base that opinion on what? You act like the mid-terms were an absolute Democratic rout. I suggest you compare DJTs mid-term losses to Clinton and Obama’s first mid-term losses if you want a bite of reality.
Your own leader, [the Socialist] Tom Perez, thinks Ocasio-Cortez (who is a blithering idiot) is the “future of the (your) Party.”
“I have three kids. Two of them are daughters — one just graduated college, one who is in college. And they were both texting me about their excitement over Alexandria because she really — she represents the future of our party,” Perez said on “The Bill Press Show.”
Your party, the Democratic Party, is rapidly becoming the Democratic Socialist Party. How do you think that is going to work out for you? While the young, university indoctrinated voter may like the vision of a Socialist America (not having spent one day in a socialist nation) they are not the bulk of voters in America. Start imposing Socialist policies for those suburban moms that voted Democrat this last term and see how fast they reject the Democratic Party. It’s called the “power of the purse” and when Socialist policies start taking money out of suburban mom’s purses, the tide will turn.
Tom Perez is now slamming Christians. How well do you think that is going to work for your Party?
@Richard Wheeler: Mornin’ Rich,
But the left says we only vote the way our husbands tell us how to vote, now I am confused. Its sooo easy for democrat women, they cant hold a husband.
You have no proof at all of your silly statement, none.
What is illegal about a NDA? Oh yeah they were suddenly under paid when he became president, so they decide that silly legal agreement can be torn up? Why does Horseface have to pay the Presidents legal fees?
Really is that why he is one of the White House legal advisors? Per Cohen the guy who said he lied to Congress about something that wasnt even illegal? That Cohen?
Are you missing Stormy now that the left MSM chucked her, buy a VHS tape yes she is of that era.
@retire05:
Lets not tell him this joke is to good to not let ride out.
05—FYI First time 2 Native American Dem women elected to House. Diversity a good thing
Women voted 59%D-41% R–highest spread in history
Kitt “hold a husband” LOL
My “statement” is obvious to anyone who studied mid term results–if you decline to do so–OK. Have a great day
@richard wheeler: What ever, the elections are over, unless the dems are not yet done voting or finding votes.
Cohen will prove doesnt pay to be a rat fink, no pardon on the table it seems.
How does it feel to be a member of the Party of the Police State?
Kitt Are you saying just shut up and Trump will pardon you? That’s worse than a police state??–EXPLAIN–also ‘WH legal advisor”-who Cohen?-he was closer to Trump than any WH legal advisor– “the fixer” did the dirty work–helped DT COMMIT CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS AKA FELONIES
Major crooked election result I see is Repub win in North Carolina.–gonna have a redo.on that one
Kelly Out—DT probably looking for someone from Fox to replace Marine 4 star General
@Richard Wheeler: You have no sense of humor anymore, you really dont get any sarcasm, lighten up Marine.
Lets do over a few California districts with voter proof of citizenship and you must vote at the polls on voting day only. Funny how your state can only find Democrat votes AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE every close race every single one goes blue strange….
Off shopping I need cake & cookie decorating supplies I put mine away so good last year I cant find them…house renovation bites it, but
@retire05:
They passed that threshold in 2009. Notice how neither Obama nor Hillary renounced the CPUSA endorsement of their candidacies? Birds of a feather.
@kitt: Believe me I AM laughing at your “hold a husband” would you care to elaborate?
Also GTOW? AND Police State Party??
You know I enjoy humor and some sarcasm as much as anyone
BTW–Can you get O5 to loosen up a bit
Where’s RT when we need hard core sarcasm and conspiracy theories?
Notice Deplorable/Burriss has become a bit friendlier–
As a realtor I’ve seen house renovations put huge strains on couples–may call on all your Repub woman “hold your husband” skills—-GOOD LUCK
@richard wheeler:
So what? The first (and only) Native American VP was a Republican. Who cares what skin tone a candidate possesses? Isn’t it more important to elect someone who is qualified, in spite of their skin tone? Guess not with Democrats. That’s why we see people like Sheila Jackson Lee elected.
Women turned out for the mid-terms. Men did not. Can the Democrats keep that momentum in the 2010 elections? I doubt it.
@Richard Wheeler:
We all know about decorated Marine officers! Mueller has botched every thing he has touched. He put Steven Hatfill through Hell and cost the government millions. http://thefederalist.com/2018/02/08/robert-mueller-botching-investigations-since-anthrax-attacks/
Senator Stevens investigation
Other botched cases by Mueller http://thefederalist.com/2018/04/19/revealed-robert-muellers-fbi-repeatedly-abused-prosecutorial-discretion/
I supposed he was awarded an I was there medal, too? Shows how great your judgement really is, right?
@Richard Wheeler:
No, she can’t. I take the destruction of the country into a Socialist state very seriously. Kiss Loonafornia good by. It’s gone. All that will be left is the very rich and the very poor with no middle class to sustain its bills.
BTW, Beto (the fake Mexican) spent $79.9 million to lose. I thought Democrats wanted big money out of elections. Guess that was just another one of their lies.
Are you going to respond to my question about Tom Perez slamming Christians or is that just another question you will continue to ignore?
@retire05: He basically said Christians put too much faith in what they hear from the pulpit,
I would tend to agree as well as too much in what Government tells us, Drs tell us, Advertisers tell us,Teachers tell us etc etc—–Believe in what momma tells you—be skeptical of ANYONE else. You gonna answer any of my questions?
“woman turned out and men didn’t” LOL
believe Beto nickname given him by parents at a young age–did this Irishman ever claim to be of Mexican descent?
@Richard Wheeler:
As a politician he’s a scumbag.
The “future of the Democrat party”? She is, beyond any doubt, the stupidest person I have ever seen elected to any office. What’s your view of this Democrat phenomenon?
There have already been discussions between Trump and Cohen released about the payments. This is old news; Cohen was saying he wanted to make the payments in cash but Trump was insisting on payment by check so there was a record; doesn’t sound like he was trying to hide anything.
@retire05:
They want REPUBLICAN big money out of elections. It costs Democrats a lot to riot, break up rallies, go around collecting mail in votes to change to Democrat and to store the fake ballots for when they are needed.
@Randy: Mueller led Marine rifle platoon and was awarded Bronze Star and Purple Heart
As you know he’s a Republican–end is near –lets see what Mueller has.
Not to worry Rudy is already drafting a rebuttal to Mueller’s findings