Trump allies push for a new campaign opening act: Michael Flynn - POLITICO
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Trump allies push for a new campaign opening act: Michael Flynn
After a prolonged battle against Robert Mueller's prosecutors, Flynn's status in MAGA world as a deep state-fighting warrior has grown.
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn. | Carolyn Kaster, File/AP Photo
Four years ago, Michael Flynn, an intelligence officer with a three-decade military career, became a MAGA star introducing Donald Trump at raucous campaign rallies.
Now, after a prolonged battle against what Trump's biggest supporters see as a rigged judicial system staffed by Obama-era bureaucrats, Flynn's status as a deep state-fighting warrior has only grown. And with Flynn on the verge of potentially having criminal charges dismissed altogether, Trump allies are pushing the campaign to give Flynn the ultimate comeback: hitting the campaign trail for the president, according to nine people inside or close to the Trump campaign.
"Great surrogate — lots of people would come to see him," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally. "He's the perfect example of deep state victimization. Pretty powerful."
Three people affiliated with the campaign said they would welcome Flynn back — perhaps reprising his role as an opening act at Trump rallies or a TV surrogate — between now and Election Day, although a Trump campaign official said the campaign has not approached Flynn about taking a formal position.
The move would bring Flynn back to where it all started in 2016, but this time emboldened by his journey — from little-known campaign surrogate, to White House national security adviser, to indicted Russia probe target, to, potentially, the man who defeated Robert Mueller's prosecutors.
Trump, struggling in the polls against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and concerned his reelection prospects could be slipping away, has already brought back a handful of loyalists from his successful campaign in 2016. But Flynn has become a right-wing cause celebre like no other.
"Interesting suggestion," said Tim Murtaugh, Trump campaign communications director. "Gen. Flynn is a great American."
Flynn's legal saga could reach its end point in the coming weeks after a federal appeals court panel in June ordered Judge Emmet Sullivan to dismiss Flynn's case. But Sullivan is taking the usual step of asking the full bench of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the panel's decision first.
Flynn initially pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his December 2016 conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He later tried to withdraw his guilty plea, before the Justice Department moved to abandon its prosecution altogether at Attorney General William Barr's urging.
Trump accuses the FBI of targeting Flynn as he seeks to discredit the broad inquiry into whether his aides colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. The president has even mused about pardoning Flynn, saying he was "targeted in order to try and take down a president."
"As far as Gen. Flynn, he's a great hero, he's a great gentleman," Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday night. "What they're doing to that man, they destroyed that man, but he'll come back. He's going to come back."
On Saturday, the president tweeted: "New documents just released reveal General Flynn was telling the truth, and the FBI knew it!"
It was immediately unclear what Trump was referring to.
An administration official said he wasn't aware of any talk about bringing Flynn back to the White House.A person close to the White House joked that Trump always seems to bring back the same core group of loyalists, even those who had once fallen out of favor.
Some Trump allies warn that hiring Flynn, or even just adding him as a speaker at rallies, would create a needless controversy at a time when Trump is struggling to make up lost ground in national and battleground states.
"I don't know that his abilities as a surrogate outweigh the controversy he would attract," said one ally.
And while Flynn would almost immediately add a jolt to the campaign, energizing Trump's conservative base, he could offend the college-educated suburban voters the president needs to win the election. Over the weekend, Flynn tweeted a video in which he used phrases linked to to the QAnon conspiracy movement, whose followers believe the U.S. government is run by pedophiliac elites and Trump is orchestrating a secret plot to take them down.
"If you're a fan of Flynn, then you're already part of the Trumpian base that believes the deep state is out to railroad Trump and his associates," said Republican strategist Rob Stutzman. "Involving Flynn would just be one more tactic that seems solely focused on energizing Trump's base instead of expanding it."
A former White House official questioned why Flynn would want to return to Trump's orbit after all he's been through. "If you dodged a bullet, why come back in the firing line?" the former official asked.
Flynn's lawyer, Sidney Powell, did not respond to a request for comment.
Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, served as a senior adviser to the president's 2016 campaign focused on foreign policy and national security. As one of Trump's few military surrogates at the time, he defended the New York businessman's vow to improve U.S.-Russia relations and led calls for the jailing of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. During a fiery speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention, Flynn led the crowded arena in a "Lock her up!" chant — a staple of Trump's marquee rallies.
His spirited defenses of Trump and sharp criticism of the Obama administration earned him the campaign job that led to his appointment as national security adviser. But just 22 days into his job, Trump fired Flynn for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his conversation with the Russian ambassador. Flynn also eventually pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about those same conversations.
Pence apparently holds no grudge.
"I think Gen. Michael Flynn is an American patriot; he served this country with great distinction," Pence said in May in an interview with Axios on HBO. "And for my part, I'd be happy to see Michael Flynn again."
Two of the Trump campaign officials said Flynn's fall from grace — he was one of the first senior Trump aides charged in connection to the Russia probe — did not give them pause about inviting him to assist the campaign in some capacity.
One of the officials said he would be an ideal addition to the campaign's payroll if Biden taps Flynn's predecessor, Susan Rice, to be his running mate. Rice, President Barack Obama's final national security adviser, is one a number of women Biden is considering for vice president. Trump and Republican lawmakers accuse Rice — without evidence — of committing a crime by leaking the identities of senior Trump associates picked up as part of U.S. intelligence-led surveillance of foreign officials.
Flynn "would be our No. 1 draft pick to open President Trump's rallies if Joe Biden actually picks Susan Rice," the campaign official said, adding that Flynn could "discuss his own experience with the deep state that Biden and Rice would do everything to protect."
Kyle Cheney contributed to this report.
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Good God. Boy I do hope these people are stupid enough to make Michael Flynn a campaign surrogate for Trump. We can have someone in the audience ask him about his connection to Q Anon at every event.
funny thing.... that is exactly what trump and the Q movement wants.
I'm surprised the media has not asked trump directly....
they are scared of the answer and of sending millions of more eyes to qmap.pub
so... they probably won't ask flynn either.
Well putting a confessed traitor to America on stage to push for Trump's reelection will definitely solidify the base.
...push for Trump's reelection will definitely solidify the base.
By the looks of things, moderate republicans are running away as are many independents. All Trump has is his 30-35% base, and that's not going to be enough to carry the election.
that's funny...
meanwhile, trump has near monolithic support from the right 96% and about 20-30% of the black vote.
the dems can not win against those numbers.
96% of the hard right? Probably
20-30% of the black vote? Never.
I heard that when I said trump would win in 2016,
so, just sit back and watch.
nothing either of us say is going to change a thing.
You didn't hear that from me. I told anyone who asked that Trump could, indeed, win. And the nightmare occurred.
I'm going to do more than sit back and watch. I'm going to vote!
You are right in that the only poll that counts is the vote of the American people. So on the night of November 3rd, after the polls are closed, yes. we will sit back and watch.
I know polls mean very little however I just tripped over this and thought id share as we just talked about it.
even I think 40% is off but still.... wow
if that is only half true? 20% easy
if dems lose 20% of the black vote to trump? that would equal game over for the left for decades.
this pure speculation, but i reckon when it comes to elections, it is always the economy.
I have to ask why the dems could not have gotten black employment to the highest levels in 50+ yrs and I suspect the black community is asking the same question.
he confessed? to being a traitor? can you give me a link to that, please?
Donald Trump: "I believe Putin."
Google it. How many links do you need?
Donald Trump saying anything isn't even close to what I was asking for.
But hey, good try!
What do you take from Trump's constant grovelling and subservience to Putin? You do realize that Putin hates and wants to destroy America, right?
I suggested a book to you the other day. "The Road to Unfreedom" by Timothy Snyder. I again urge you to read it. I've read it now 4 times and always learn more. Pardner.
If you were asking for evidence of a confession, then what Trump says is exactly what you were asking for, isn't it?
I specifically responded to something not about Trump.
Can't you see that?
I didn't ask about Trump confessing. I don't think you are following the conversation very well.
But it is admirable how you seemingly can make everything about Trump!
You are absolutely correct. My late night mistake.
Isn't it Trump who always makes everything about Trump?
he sure has a lot of help. all you have to do is look at the seeds here for a prime example
He'll be gone soon. Like a miracle, he will just disappear... when we kick his XXXXXL rear end out of there.
As for Flynn. What a disgrace. After what I understand was a lifetime of distinguished service, how could he fall so low? Playing up to Putin is an abomination.
yes, that is a possibility.
of course, many thought Hillary was going to win easily, too.
With an election campaign ramping up and Roger Stone already out and available, I just assume he will pardon the entire gang and put them back to work. Why break up the 2016 Dream Team.
Heck - he will probably book Timati as a warm up band for his rallies.
Maybe Timati will write him a big hit for YouTube like he did for Putin.
College educated base? What are they majoring in, basket weaving?
He could open for Trump at the Laugh Factory:
A stand up comedian named Michael went to get his appendix removed. What did they call the night of his surgery?
Open Mike night
Ouch! Ohhhh! Uggggh! Pain! Agony! etc.
Especially etc.!
Check out Noisestorm.
On Saturday, the president tweeted: "New documents just released reveal General Flynn was telling the truth, and the FBI knew it!"
It was immediately unclear what Trump was referring to.
Evidently it's only unclear to Anita Kumar and Gabby Orr of Politico. For the rest of us already know:
"A n internal Justice Department draft memo from late January 2017 indicates that the FBI concluded retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was not acting as an agent of Russia and noted that agents believed he did not think he was lying to them during an interview about his calls with Russia's ambassador.
The heavily redacted document (dated Jan. 30, 2017) was released to the Flynn defense team earlier this week and was made visible to the public on Friday in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It was included along with a new batch of handwritten notes from key DOJ and FBI officials from the Trump-Russia investigation following the interview of the former Trump national security adviser by now-fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI agent Joseph Pientka on Jan. 24, 2017.
“After additional articles came out and Secretary Spicer gave his press conference on January 23, the FBI decided to interview General Flynn on January 24th. During this interview the FBI asked General Flynn about his contacts with the Ambassador. General Flynn recalled a conversation about Israel after prompting by the FBI, but denied having conversations about sanctions,” the DOJ document states. “FBI advised that based on this interview, they did not believe General Flynn was acting as an age of Russia. FBI also advised that although they recognized the statements were inconsistent with the FISA collection, they believed that Flynn believed what he was telling them. FBI did not confront Flynn with the communications during the interview.”
A summary of a Jan. 25, 2017, meeting during which the FBI briefed the DOJ's National Security Division and other key FBI and DOJ leaders stated: “FBI advised that the purpose of the interview was to determine if General Flynn was acting as an agent of Russia. FBI advised that General Flynn was very open and forthcoming.” According to the memo, when the FBI asked Flynn about whether he discussed sanctions with Russia’s ambassador during the presidential transition period, “Flynn denied having the conversation and stated he would not have that type of conversation. FBI prompted Flynn with language used during the call, and he still denies having the conversation.”
The DOJ memo said the FBI “believed Flynn believed what he was saying was true” and that the bureau “recognized the discrepancy between the statements and the actual calls, but determined that Flynn was not acting as agent of Russia.” The memo also notes that the FBI “advised that the decision was made by FBI leadership not to confront Flynn with the actual tech cuts” of the recorded intercepts of his call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak."
Then why did he plead guilty?
The "why" is part of the problem.
You see Flynn's original layers never asked for or were offered the 302's the FBI wrote characterizing what Flynn said.
And thus:
"SCO prosecutor Van Grack demanded that General Flynn make a decision to plead guilty or face indictment on a very short time frame. Just 30 days earlier Manafort and Gates had been indicted. Papadopoulos had pled guilty only 45 days earlier.
When you see former federal prosecutors – or wannabe pretenders like Benjamin Wittes at Lawfareblog – repeatedly point to the fact that Gen. Flynn “admitted” to having committed the crimes with which he was charged, keep in mind that Gen. Flynn “admitted” to the characterization of events and statements that was fashioned by SCO prosecutor Van Grack, and Gen. Flynn had precious little leeway when having to decide whether to agree or not agree to the SCO’s characterization of the facts. His options were to accept what was presented, or to continue spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in his own defense, and possibly expose family members to criminal charges by the same prosecutors he was watching run roughshod over the lives of numerous individuals simply because they had the temerity to work for the Trump campaign, or in the Trump Administration.
I’ve been there, and I did this. I used the “process” to leverage guilty pleas on my terms. I raised the price of saying “no” so high that I knew the defendants couldn’t do anything but say “yes” to what I was demanding in terms of a guilty plea. I didn’t demand that anyone admit anything that was false, but I knew defendants would sign whatever I wrote in the end because they had nothing to bargain with.
It comes down to the integrity and motives of the prosecutor. The SCO staff hired by Mueller have revealed themselves over time to not warrant any favorable presumptions on either count."