What should Austin do about Michael Flynn?
One thing that Austin, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military commanders, and any other officer in the public eye should do is to shun and shame Michael Flynn—denounce him, hold him up as a poster boy for bad behavior, turn the sorry, sordid devolution of his career into a case study of a path not to take.
What does Michael Flynn want to make clear?
View more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN) Michael Flynn, Donald Trump's former National Security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was later pardoned by Trump, wants to make it clear that in the United States, "If we are going to have one nation under God -- which we must -- we have to have one religion."
What did Michael Flynn do in the Mueller investigation?
Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to making false statements to the FBI. He went on to cooperate extensively with Mueller's team, providing "substantial assistance" to the special counsel's investigation, according to court papers. Before the Mueller investigation wrapped up, Flynn appeared in court in December 2018 for his sentencing.
Should Flynn be tried in a military court?
Rep. Elaine Luria, a retired Navy commander who is now vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said that Flynn’s comments “border on sedition” and that he should be tried in a military court. “Sedition” has a pretty strict meaning.
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What did Flynn say at the Texas conference?
At the Texas conference, Flynn clearly expressed a desire for a coup (“the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority”), but he did nothing to create “revolt, violence, or other disturbance.”. So Flynn’s remark may “border on sedition,” as Luria put it, but that’s sort of like “almost horseshoes.”. No prize for the one, no court-martial ...
What did Flynn do during the war?
During the Afghanistan war, as chief intelligence officer at Joint Special Operations Command, Flynn devised new and creative ways to fuse massive streams of data from several previously isolated intelligence agencies, then making the data available to troops on the ground.
What is Flynn's remark about sedition?
So Flynn’s remark may “border on se dition,” as Luria put it, but that’s sort of like “almost horseshoes.”. No prize for the one, no court-martial for the other. Advertisement. On the other hand, the main point of military law is to maintain discipline, not merely deliver justice.
Who ordered Flynn to leave the DIA?
Former colleagues of Flynn say that his dismissal from DIA—a move ordered by the secretary of defense and director of national intelligence at the time (Robert Gates and James Clapper) —embittered him and made him ripe for recruitment by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Is Flynn's ruling on appeal?
The ruling is on appeal, but it makes a certain degree of sense. Advertisement. Advertisement. Still, Flynn poses a problem, especially at a time when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, himself a retired Army general, is trying to purge the ranks of political extremists and aspiring insurrectionists.
How much jail time did Michael Flynn get?
Flynn could end up with no jail time or spend up to six months in prison, according to the plea offer Mueller gave him. He will be fined between $500 and $9,500 ― though, as is common with plea deals, he can also ask the court to waive any fine. Calling all HuffPost superfans!
Why did Trump strip Flynn of his rank?
Bush White House ethics official Richard Painter told Business Insider that Trump should strip Flynn of his rank because he received a payment from the Russian government-funded news outlet RT in 2015 after being told by the military that he could not accept money from foreign governments in his retirement.
Did Flynn lie to the FBI?
WASHINGTON ― By admitting on Friday that he lied to the FBI while he was President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn has further tarnished the reputation he built in the military, already marred by his behavior on the campaign trail, and made it almost impossible for him to hold high office again.
Who is Rachel VanLandingham?
Rachel VanLandingham, a Southwestern Law School professor and retired military lawyer, and Geoffrey Corn, a former Army officer and professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston, agreed with that assessment in separate emails to HuffPost.
Did Lieutenant General Flynn's criminal conduct occur after he retired?
Advertisement. “But it appears that Lieutenant General Flynn’s criminal conduct occurred after he retired from the Army,” she wrote. This makes his situation different from that of one-time CIA Director David Petraeus, Corn noted.
Did Flynn plea deal with Mueller?
The plea deal Flynn reached with special counsel Ro bert Mueller as part of the investigation into potential collusion between Russia and Trump does not mention either issue. Download. That’s because there is no obligation for Flynn to surrender those service-related privileges despite his new status as an admitted criminal, experts say. ...
Why did Flynn's attorneys challenge Sullivan's actions?
Flynn's attorneys challenged Sullivan's actions to try to force him to dismiss the case. Ironically, that effort may ultimately have drawn out the process so long that the only way to ensure Flynn was out of legal peril before Joe Biden's inauguration was to prompt Trump to pardon him.
Why did Flynn resign?
Flynn was forced to resign after less than a month on the job for allegedly misleading the vice president about his conversations with the Russian envoy. Flynn was interviewed by the FBI in January 2017, just days after assuming his White House post.
Who was the first national security adviser to be pardoned?
Trump Pardons Michael Flynn, Who Pleaded Guilty To Lying About Russia Contact President Trump has pardoned his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador. It was announced on Twitter. NPR.
Was the Justice Department consulted about the Flynn pardon?
Justice Department not consulted. The Justice Department was not consulted about the Flynn pardon in the way it often takes part in the preparation of presidential pardons, a department official said on Wednesday. The official described the situation on the condition that the person not be identified.
Did Flynn's defense team downplay his crimes?
Flynn's defense team, however, tried to downplay his crimes despite his admissions and his guilty plea. That prompted sharp criticism from the presiding judge, Sullivan, who said it raised questions about whether Flynn truly accepted responsibility for his actions.
Did Flynn plead guilty to the government?
But he ultimately reversed course and accused the government of trying to frame him. Flynn went so far as to withdraw his first plea of guilty and substitute a second plea of not guilty, even though he'd acknowledged the underlying conduct that was against the law and been close to receiving a sentence.
Who fired Michael Flynn?
This is why Flynn is an interesting story. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Flynn is the only person fired by both Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, so he must be doing something that rubs White House administrations the wrong way.
Is the private sector phasing out pensions?
The private sector is phasing out pensions in favor of 401 (k)s at a furious clip, which is putting all the investment risk into the hands of unsophisticated average Americans. But for the military and elected officials, there is a different standard, especially if those people are convicted of a crime.