Michael Flynn has become a full-blown Trump scandal
There have been big developments in the scandal surrounding Michael Flynn’s contacts with the Russian ambassador to the US, an act that may well violate several laws including the Logan Act.
One of his top lieutenants has been fired from the National Security Council after being…
… refused top-secret clearance on Friday, according to a report.
Robin Townley, the senior director for Africa and one of Flynn’s closest deputies, was subsequently fired from the NSC, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Politico.
The move, which was reportedly approved by President Trump’s CIA director Mike Pompeo, angered Flynn and his deputies, who speculated that the snub was an act of retaliation aimed at their skepticism over the intelligence community’s leadership, sources said.
“They believe this is a hit job from inside the CIA on Flynn and the people close to him,” one source told Politico. “Townley believes that the CIA doesn’t run the world.”
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wants Flynn himself out the door…
if he lied about talking about sanctions with a Russian official.
“It’s unacceptable that during the transition, General Flynn discussed lifting sanctions with Russia’s ambassador,” Rep. Eliot Engel (N.Y.) said in a statement Friday.
“This action would be deeply troubling under any circumstances, but considering Russia’s effort to tip the election toward President Trump, the General’s actions are disqualifying,” added Engel, who endorsed 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
“And if General Flynn negotiated with Russia to change American policy, he may be in violation of the Logan Act, which bars such conduct. The President must relieve General Flynn immediately.”
Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) wants an FBI briefing on the matter…
“as soon as possible” on communications between President Trump’s national security advisor Michael Flynn and Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.
In a letter to FBI Director James Comey on Friday, McCaskill – the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee – voiced concern over reports that Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Moscow’s ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak in the month before Trump’s inauguration.
“As part of these communications, General Flynn may have struck an agreement or implied future cooperation with Russia and President Vladimir Putin regarding sanctions relief or some form of preferential treatment,” McCaskill said in the letter.
McCaskill said that possibility justifies the committee receiving a closed briefing on the communications.
“Given the significant implications that any such communications may have had for the nation’s homeland and national security, I request that you provide a closed briefing for the Committee as soon as possible regarding the scope and status of any current FBI investigation related to General Flynn’s contacts with the Russian government,” she said.
Flynn had been in contact with Kislyak a number of times before Trump’s electoral win in November.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who has been awfully quiet on the matter, says he will “look into” the mushrooming scandal:
“I don’t know about that. I haven’t seen it,” said Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One late Friday, during a flight to Florida from Washington. Several news outlets reported on Thursday that Mr. Flynn and Ambassador Sergei I. Kislyak had discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had imposed on Russia.
The White House has denied publicly that the two men discussed sanctions.
Even as Mr. Trump professed his lack of knowledge of the episode, administration officials were scrambling to contain the fallout of the latest revelations about the embattled former three-star general, who has been criticized internally for his judgment and for staffing the National Security Council with military officers instead of trained civilian personnel.
Perhaps a bigger concern for Mr. Flynn is his relationship with Vice President Mike Pence, who sometimes has had to defend him in public.
According to two administration officials, Mr. Flynn told Mr. Pence in January that he had only exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Kislyak during a phone call in December and denied discussing sanctions with him. Mr. Pence repeated Mr. Flynn’s account during a television appearance.
The president still confers daily with Mr. Flynn, one of the few former military leaders to support him during the campaign.
But three weeks into Mr. Trump’s presidency, Mr. Flynn’s role on national security matters has been challenged by other West Wing power players — including the president’s chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, and Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who have both taken expansive roles shaping foreign and defense policy.
Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, questioned on Friday whether Mr. Flynn should be allowed to stay in his job.
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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo
David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
26 responses to Michael Flynn has become a full-blown Trump scandal
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mea_mark February 11th, 2017 at 09:15
Ahh, nothing like a full-blown scandal to facilitate the back stabbing in a new administration. Gotta love tRumps response to, vacation time everybody, I’m heading to the golf course. Priorities, must keep those priorities in order. Golf is always most important.
Larry Schmitt February 11th, 2017 at 09:31
But the cons would go nuts all over the internet every time Obama went to Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend.
Suzanne McFly February 11th, 2017 at 10:25
Well it’s not like he is running the show so why not leave? We should be looking to see how many days bannon has had off.
StoneyCurtisll February 11th, 2017 at 12:51
trump wants to be a five day a week president…
Leave it to Pence to work on the weekends…
Thats not what a vice president is for.
Suzanne McFly February 11th, 2017 at 15:18
Who believes rump didn’t see this story? He is watching TV every moment he is allowed to.
Larry Schmitt February 11th, 2017 at 17:35
Only time he’s not watching is when he’s tweeting.
Tommie February 11th, 2017 at 10:28
Flynn and Kellyanne are sure good examples of how not to be distractions! Haha! /s
Suzanne McFly February 11th, 2017 at 10:33
Well the good news is it keeps cameras off their boss who we all know is a bumbling fool. That is why he surrounds himself with people who are unqualified.
Larry Schmitt February 11th, 2017 at 10:38
He surrounds himself with unqualified dolts because he has no idea that they are, in fact, unqualified dolts. Just as he is. He thinks he, and all his cabinet picks, are perfectly qualified for their positions, when nothing could be further from the truth.
Mike N. February 11th, 2017 at 10:57
It seems the number one requirement to be on Trump’s staff is being a loyal ass kisser. Talent and skills are far down on the list.
Larry Schmitt February 11th, 2017 at 10:58
I guess that could be considered a talent.
StoneyCurtisll February 11th, 2017 at 12:50
And large campaign donations…(DeVos)
Suzanne McFly February 11th, 2017 at 10:59
If this story was pitched for a bad Tuesday night sitcom, they would of been turned down. It doesn’t seem to have the believe-ability factor.
Tommie February 11th, 2017 at 10:38
I really do believe that, sound strategy on keep people’s attention away from him, while those around him are making news! But we still watch Trump closely!
eyelashviper February 11th, 2017 at 12:15
Three weeks in and the proverbial fans are completely clogged with excrement.
No doubt a new crisis looms, and tRump will fix it with his twitter machine.
StoneyCurtisll February 11th, 2017 at 12:48
Trump is more concerned about Ivanka’s ability to make money and being dropped from Nordstorm’s, Neiman Marcus and other retail outlets than possible violations of the law by his staff members…
The for profit president is in it for the bucks.
dewired4u February 11th, 2017 at 17:03
impeach trump and make America safe again….no wait then pence would be pres…..we’re f’d boys and girls. Roll another one just like the other one…….99 bottles of beer on the wall……
Snick1946 February 11th, 2017 at 17:41
We’ve been lucky so far. No foreign policy crisis, Iran has not made any moves. Just wait until something does go down. I honestly think that is what it is going to take for many Americans to realize we have a rat fucked psycho at the helm. Hopefully that will take place before he tosses some nukes.
Ken Olsen February 11th, 2017 at 21:12
and then they tessted a misle…. but don’t think Trump was informed!
amersham1046 February 11th, 2017 at 18:07
America is now living in the movie Duck Soup
majii February 11th, 2017 at 21:21
One would think that a POTUS who brags about how smart he is would know about Flynn’s brewing scandal. Trump’s lying, otherwise, why would the WH be working behind the scenes trying desperately to quash this. Flynn is under fire, and I hope he remains under fire, and that it results in his resignation posthaste. Having him lead the NSC is like having a wolf guarding a henhouse.
StoneyCurtisll February 11th, 2017 at 22:01
The revolution is coming…
And it will not be televised…
It will be live~!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw
dogsRgoodpeople February 12th, 2017 at 00:33
Where did all the sane military guys go ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1KvgtEnABY
Foundryman February 12th, 2017 at 00:37
The fact Flynn hasn’t resigned yet shows he doesn’t have anymore integrity than Trump.
labman57 February 12th, 2017 at 00:55
If Trump stays true to form, his responses regarding the Flynn scandal will transition from “It didn’t happen” … to “I don’t know IF it happened” … to “I didn’t know THAT it happened” … to “Who cares if it happened!”
Charlie Seivard February 12th, 2017 at 16:22
The Limbo is the new hit dance in Washington. “How low can you go?”