The Justice Department on Thursday dropped its case against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, in a stunning development that comes after internal memos were released raising serious questions about the nature of the investigation that led to Flynn’s late 2017 guilty plea of lying to the FBI, Fox News reported.
President Donald Trump reacted Thursday at the White House while taking questions from reporters, saying that General Flynn is “a hero”, but pointed out, “what the Obama administration did is unprecedented.”
The announcement came in a court filing, with the department saying it is dropping the case “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information.”
The retired Army lieutenant general for months has been trying to withdraw his plea, aided by a new attorney who has aggressively challenged the prosecution’s case and conduct.
Documents unsealed a week ago by the Justice Department revealed FBI agents discussed their motivations for interviewing Flynn in the Russia probe– questioning whether they wanted to“get him to lie” so he’d be fired or prosecuted, or get him to admit wrongdoing. “What is our goal?” one of the notes read. “Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?”
On Thursday, the top prosecutor on the case, Brandon Van Grack, abruptly withdrew from the case, without explanation, in a brief filing with the court. Continued Below
“He was an innocent man. He is a great gentleman,” the Commander in Chief told reporters Thursday. “He was targeted by the Obama administration, and he was targeted in order to try and take down a president. And what they’ve done is a disgrace, and I hope a big price is gonna be paid, a big price should be paid.”
“It’s never been anything like this in the history of our country,” the president said. “What they did– what the Obama administration did is unprecedented, it’s never happened. … And I hope a lot of people are gonna pay a big price [be] cause they’re dishonest crooked people. They’re scum, and I say it a lot. They’re scum, they’re human scum. This should have never happened in this country.”
President Trump explained the officials went after General Flynn by trying to get him to lie, adding “The Obama administration– the Justice Department was a disgrace, and they got caught– very dishonest people. But much more … it’s treason.” Continued Below
“I’m very happy for General Flynn,” the president told reporters. “He was a great warrior, and he still is a great warrior. Now in my book, he’s an even greater warrior. … I am very proud of General Flynn.”
Asked who he would like to see pay a price, the president responded: “The people should pay a big price for what they’ve done to this country. … And their partner– very complicit, is a thing called the media. The media is totally guilty. And all of those writers and so-called journalists, they’re not journalists, they’re thieves.”
“All of those journalists that received a Pulitzer prize, should be forced to give those Pulitzer prizes back because they were all wrong. … Because you know what? They were given out falsely. It was fake news. They’re all fake news. And whoever gives the Pulitzer prizes, they’re a disgrace, unless they take those prizes back,” President Trump suggested. Video Below
President Trump’s official remarks:
BREAKING: President Trump reacts to the news that The DOJ is dropping charges against @GenFlynn. pic.twitter.com/auFGsy3Urg
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) May 7, 2020
President Trump says General Flynn is a “Hero”.
President Trump says @GenFlynn is a Hero pic.twitter.com/vHHCCwkjUa
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) May 7, 2020
DOJ spox, Kerri Kupec, tweeted on Thursday:
The Justice Department has asked the court to dismiss the case against General Flynn.
— KerriKupecDOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) May 7, 2020
STATEMENT: USA Jeff Jensen who reviewed Flynn case.
“Through the course of my review of General Flynn’s case, I concluded the proper and just course was to dismiss the case. I briefed Attorney General Barr on my findings, advised him on these conclusions, and he agreed.”
— KerriKupecDOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) May 7, 2020
