Trump Pardons Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn
President Trump tweeted on Wednesday he has granted a pardon to his former, and first, national security adviser Michael Flynn, erasing the conservative intelligence official’s plea of guilt for lying to the FBI regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. The saga has haunted Trump’s presidency and called into question relations between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, with Flynn’s Russian contacts during Trump’s transition to The Oval Office under ongoing federal scrutiny.
Since Trump took office in January of 2017, the case has been atop the list of scandals and dramas surrounding his presidency, which also includes Attorney General William Barr’s questionable leadership of the US Justice Department and favoritism towards Trump’s financial dealings in New York, which are currently still under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. Without presidential immunity, Trump potentially faces a host of legal battles upon leaving office.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump pardoned former US Army Lieutenant General Flynn because his prosecution was seen as a partisan pursuit of an innocent man; although, the White House has neglected to offer any evidence to substantiate their view. An official from the US Justice Department stated they were not advised of the planned Presidential pardon and would have preferred to have seen the case resolved by a court dismissal. Flynn may still face questioning by the US District Court judge in Washington, DC.
Ann Sullivan is a contributing staff writer covering national and world news topics. She brings dedicated experience having written international and domestic news, blogs, and web content for over 20 years. She’s also a published poet and graphic designer with degrees in Business and Graphic Communications and has been a music distributor, music industry sponsorship sales director and band manager.