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© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Justice Department dropping Flynn's Trump-Russia case
By MICHAEL BALSAMO and ERIC TUCKER WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
74 Comments
Serrano
This must be devastating news to all those here who mocked Flynn.
SimondB
The man pleaded guilty. And the case now gets dropped? The US Justice Department is now just another kow-towing Trump flunky. Barr is corrupt. Out and out corrupt, as is his boss.
PTownsend
Not devastating, but not surprising. The Trump/Barr DOJ protects its fellow swamp members. Speaking of Trump/Barr, how's the Epstein death investigation going?
It's probably great news to those who believe 'laws are for peasants, not for the elite'. Har har.
The Avenger
Must be nice to have the Attorney General as your fixer.
For those who need fixers.
Serrano
The man pleaded guilty.
Yeah, you know why he pleaded guilty, right? Oh, you don't know? Oh, yeah, that's right, they don't talk about this on BBC or CNN or MSNBC. Here ya go -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-nSWLVyDYw
Serrano
Must be nice to have the Attorney General as your fixer.
What, you want someone to languish in prison who doesn't deserve to be in prison? Jeez...
The action was a stunning reversal for one of the signature cases brought by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Speaking of Robert Mueller - oh my...
Graham says legal foundation for Mueller's appointment is crumbling ( he's right )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWQHOCDnGXc&t=76s
Ah_so
I like to read my news rather than watch random YouTube links.
Strangerland
The swamp gets a little swampier.
ArtistAtLarge
We'll have to see if the judge approves this or not.
But this is absolutely a travesty of justice by the DOJ.
Wolfpack
Comey’s FBI was determined to get at Trump and used any means necessary to prove collusion with Russia. They in effect falsified warrants with Hillary Campaign dirt purchased from Russia to surveile Carter Page. Page was never charged - much less with collusion. They ran informants at George Papadopoulos. He was charged with lying to the FBI because he got a date wrong on a matter not material to his “alleged” collusion with Russia. He served a whole week in jail and was never charged with collusion. Then there’s Paul Manafort. He was charged with all kinds of tex and bank fraud crimes. He was never charged with any crime related to Russia collusion.
Flynn was a special case for the Obama Administration because he was previously fired by Obama for not towing the line and being soft on Islamic extremism. The FBI and federal prosecutors withheld Brady material that could be used to prove his innocence. They threatened to imprison his son on bogus charges if he did not agree to plead guilty on a charge - wait for it - not related to Russian collusion.
The walls are closing in on Obama’s FBI.
The Avenger
“Not only should general Flynn’s charges be dropped immediately but the treasonous actors who set him up should be in jail!!!” — Donald Trump Jr., in a tweet retweeted by the president, April 29, 2020
Junior, treasonous actor is what you are. Your trump tower meeting is just the tip of the iceberg. You and your crime clan will be cleansed from America very soon.
arrestpaul
This doesn't look good for the likes of Comey, Mueller, Obama, Steel, Schiff, and any other Democrat who assisted with the 4 year long, anti-election "resist" scam. Flynn was pressured to plead guilty in order to prevent the Obama government from prosecuting Flynn's son. The Obama government's case is unraveling. I hope Comey likes prison food. Either way, Comey should be used to whatever prisons serve their inmates by the time he's released.
Wolfpack
It’s a travesty of justice when a senior attorney in the FBI can’t decide if the goal of a prosecution is to get Flynn convicted of a crime or fired from his job. The purpose of law enforcement is to uphold the law- not have a political opponent fired from his job.
Wolfpack
Yeah right - he can be your wingman.
arrestpaul
The only thing better would be having the head of the FBI, James Comey, as your personal, underhanded, political fixer.
Serrano
I like to read my news rather than watch random YouTube links.
They're not random, they're on-point. Do you have any written news links that are unbiased?
stormcrow
If you’re white and politically well connected, crime pays.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Looks like Barr was willing to do what Comey wasn't. America really is just a third world country now.
gaikoku hito
Read the official legal documents released to the DOJ and public first before reaching a opinion. A blind person would reach the same conclusion that this prosecution was indeed an abuse of power and an innocent person was targeted. Very chilling to see law enforcement officials behaving in a criminal manner. The foundations of democracy was abused.
Blacklabel
Told you 3 years ago. It’s a disgrace it took this long.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Oh, what are you talking about? Are you still whining because Comey gifted you the election to Trump? Or are you whining, because Comey refused to "see his way clear?"
Blacklabel
Let’s not get into Comey quotes. Save those for his trial.
Blacklabel
Those “Russian companies”-dropped.
“Russian “hackers” or whatever- dropped
Flynn- dropped
now that we are subtracting from Team Mueller body count it’s also time to start adding to Team Comey count of criminal convictions.
bass4funk
This is just a bad day for liberals, a horrible day for Andrew Weismann and a devastating blow for the corrupt officials within and the ones that got fired from the FBI.
PTownsend
Another reminder of Russian involvement. I recall when people who identified as 'conservatives', those who valued national sovereignty, would rail against any foreign 'meddling' in US politics. Now the global alt right approve of 'foreign' meddling, admire Putin's Russian brand of authoritarianism. But then they're the same people who call themselves alt right to differentiate themselves from traditional conservatives.
Blacklabel
All the case against “Russians”were dropped. They only existed to push a narrative and to increase the numbers.
33 people. 15 Russian nationals, 3 companies! Russia collusion!
meh, it all fell apart and the entire premise found to be a lie.
bass4funk
Ok, but besides that whatever that was, it doesn’t resolve or take the FBI off the hook how they lied and misused their power under the color of authority, this is just the beginning of the bureaus growing internal nightmare.
Blacklabel
another reminder of LACK of Russia involvement.
Now its time for the accountability phase of this. who did what and what parts were "mistakes" and what parts were criminal in nature.
SuperLib
So he lied to the FBI, admitted it twice, and the case is dropped. Must be nice to be rich and white.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Really? That's not what the Senate committee said. I wonder why? I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the DOJ is part of the executive branch. ;)
Blacklabel
James Clapper, transcript, page 26.
I never saw any direct empirical evidence that the Trump campaign or someone in it was plotting/conspiring with the Russians to meddle with the election.
Direct quote when asked under oath. No wonder Schiff been hiding the transcripts. Its all falling apart.
bass4funk
To save his son, I would lie as well.
Stop with the race card, it’s not going to save the FBI, Schiff or the Democrats this time. Sorry, the FBI wrote down on a piece of paper as to how to get him to lied, they got caught again. “Clapper and McCabe” said under oath the case is overwhelming, they had no real evidence of any that Flynn colluded with the Russians, expect more fallout at the department and watch Schiff shrivel into nothingness now that the documents will be released.
Blacklabel
Here is Clapper in May 2019, while being paid by CNN: “What was the Trump campaign doing the same time was essentially aiding and abetting the Russians”
why doesnt that match what he testified 2 years prior? He wouldnt be lying to push the CNN narrative because they are paying him, would he?
Blacklabel
The fun thing is that DNI announced there will be even more "Russia investigation" documents released tomorrow.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
I agree. Donny really is ruining the country.
Jsapc
Why were they dropped?
You can at the same time not plot something with someone and then aid and abet it when it happens. It's not mutually exclusive.
Wolfpack
Well he is $6 million in debt - you’ve got to be feeling good about that. Maybe the FBI can prosecute him for being the wrong color next time.
By the way, Tara Reade is also white. She must be awfully bad too.
Blacklabel
he didnt testify to that either. why not? his statement was very clear that he had no evidence of anyone doing anything.
But when CNN is pushing the narrative and paying the bills (and you can plausibly deny your testimony because the transcript will never be allowed out in public) you can say anything. Comey, McCabe, Pelosi, Schiff already rushed to put out statements. Cant have the public actually believe all this Russia stuff was just a political narrative.
If I didnt follow all this closely, I would be very confused right now as a citizen who only gets my news from CNN and the liberal media. Flynn was 100% guilty and was going to jail. I would be very confused as to why I was lied to and why.
Wolfpack
This is a truly incredible revelation. The Director of National Intelligence knew the whole time their was no evidence of Russian conspiracy yet he sat back and watched the Russia hoax try to prove otherwise for years. Unreal!
Blacklabel
Mueller couldnt prove it. Just like everything else he couldnt prove.
It just existed to make the numbers seem larger for the narrative. 33 people! 3 companies! this is huge! (insert political narrative)
arrestpaul
That would be the same Senate committee which couldn't produce any actual evidence that would prove their false, and highly political, claims.
Blacklabel
and went on TV as a paid consultant for the next 2 years saying the opposite. Knowing the narrative wasnt true, because he testified to the opposite under oath. We now know why these transcripts were held up by Adam Schiff.
Jsapc
That's not what he said though, isn't it? You wrote it yourself. Mind you, I am not debating his actions and words (you provide no sources as usual, and today I don't have time to check things), I'm just debating the semantics of your own words. If you see two people robbing a house and decide to give them a hand, you will not have participated in the conspiring of the robbery, but you will have aided it.
arrestpaul
I'm talking about Comey going to prison for repeatedly abusing his authority. I'm sure Flynn will be more than happy to join the millions of others who will be glad to see Comey and Co. behind bars.
Jsapc
That's not why the charges were dropped though.
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2020/0317/Why-US-dropping-charges-against-Russians-named-by-Mueller-report
he Justice Department is moving to drop charges against two Russian companies that were accused of funding a social media campaign to sway American public opinion during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Prosecutors said they concluded that a trial, against a corporate defendant with no presence in the United States and no prospect of meaningful punishment even if convicted, would likely expose sensitive law enforcement tools and techniques, "potentially undermining their effectiveness."
Prosecutors vowed to continue to pursue their case against the 13 Russians who were named in Mr. Mueller's indictment, along with the troll farm that Concord was alleged to have funded, the Internet Research Agency.
Blacklabel
It cant be any more clear than the testimony, read the exact words:
I never saw any direct empirical evidence that the Trump campaign or someone in it was plotting/conspiring with the Russians to meddle with the election.
Blacklabel
Yet they dropped these too, despite their “vow”. So we didn’t know that law enforcement techniques would be exposed before they were indicted? That would be obvious.
face saving excuse to get the political impact without having to prove anything. Just like Flynn.
sunfunbun
Man, it's so obvious the manipulation that keeps going on by and for Trump. Now that Barr and Kushner keep doing the dirty work, Trump's political agenda trumps his presidential duty and responsibility. His strategy is to avoid as much responsibility as possible. He now doesn't have to do the wrongful pardon of Flynn, a twice guilty guy is going free because Barr specifically chose this case as one to 'scrutinize'. A total sham by a bunch of weasels.
The lies, manipulation and lack of integrity of Trump and his government is so 1984. Followers of Trump's demagoguery should realize just how similar they are to Hitler's brainwash of the weak minded, to serve and defend this idiot liar. They defend him if he says no, then defend him if he says yes, then defends him again if he flops back to no. It'd be ridiculous, if it weren't so real.
Jsapc
I'm sure president Putin and his administration would be proud of seeing red-blooded americans defending a known russian troll farm.
bass4funk
Hardly, but the FBI has always been a corrupt institution and now it’s more evident than ever, that’s the real threat.
bass4funk
Doesnt matter, they screwed up, couldn’t prove anything and couldn’t make a compelling case.
We know that, no one disputed that and?
And uh, how did they expect to get these Russians? Putin was just going to hand them over? What a waste of time that was, but it was a good deflection nonetheless.
Arrrgh-Type
Again, for Trump, the idea of impartial justice simply does not exist. It is a tool to protect your friends and attack your enemies, as simple as that. Investigations into your friends are always illegitimate, while your enemies can never be investigated enough. He's certainly doing his best to turn the country into a third-rate dictatorship.
Blacklabel
these transcripts are golden. Evelyn Farkas pg 26
Ms Farkas, you didnt know whether anyone in the Trump campaign colluded with Russia?
Farkas: I didnt.
Then why did you say it?
Farkas: Cause i had a strong suspicion based on media reports and reporters calling me.
This is the "intelligence" that we are supposed to believe. All media driven.
Blacklabel
Mr. Gowdy: so when you say, "we knew", the reality is that you knew nothing.
Ms. Farkas: Correct.
These are the people who we let bankrupt Mike Flynn, ruin his reputation and attack our President for 3.5 years. A reckoning is coming. cant wait until tomorrow.
bass4funk
You're joking right? Trump is Not the problem here. The problem is with the Feds. When Trump is out of office, the FBI will still be there and if they don’t clean house right now, if they can frame Flynn, who’s to say they wouldn’t frame you or me. Trump is Not Running a so called dictatorship, it’s FBI and former State Department leftovers that will do anything to subvert the rule of law and sacrifice the Constitution just because they think someone is a threat or they don’t like them, that’s the real scary problem.
Jsapc
Again, that's not why the charges were dropped.
So by your own words, noone disputed that "two Russian companies that were accused of funding a social media campaign to sway American public opinion during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.", but prosecuting them was a waste of time? OK, so America's foreign policy is now "Russia can do whatever it wants". Interesting, I guess.
ulysses
Sure, an innocent man who was found guilty and admitted to being guilty.
I hope the price is Donny getting impeached again, the judiciary is not a Trump corporation hotel that he can play around with. Donny's interference should have consequences.
sunfunbun
Trump probably got elected because of the FBI and Comey deciding to investigate Hillary's emails just before the election. I'm sure you loved the FBI, back then. A believe Trump is your deity, whether it is this or that, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as Trump says it, it's true for you. It's quite pathetic to see anyone latch on to someone or something so much and believe lies to the extent they become a part of them.
Remember when Trump was running for president because Washington needed cleansing? How ironic. He is so dirty and proving with his administration and decisions that he prioritizes politics over responsibility of the presidential office. Less government? Yah, right Donny. Not less as a conservative mantra, just everything for you. He wants to be reelected so badly, it's his top priority, and bases decisions on it. The closer it gets, the more he won't care about anything but the election.
ulysses
I wouldn't go that far, but America is democracy whose President looks up to brutal dictators on how to run the country.
Lapdogs like Barr , Pence, Pompeo ... facilitate his efforts to turn the country into a bank republic .
Looking forward to all these spineless sycophants going to prison.
bass4funk
Guilty of what? Protecting his son? Not giving the FBI what they wanted? Democrats and the FBI can’t do a dance on this one.
How, for what? The FBI exposed themselves, Schiff is in real big trouble and to add more misery to the Dems, Biden’s problems aren’t going away and Trump’s numbers are rising
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2020/05/06/wait_donald_trumps_approval_rating_is_up_again_510254.html
And for the FBI and the Dems, they can’t undue the executive branch just because they’re sore losers.
SuperLib
He's a confessed liar. For Trump fans that makes him a hero.
Blacklabel
Lifelong Democrat. Member of the Obama administration. Military hero.
Have you forgotten?
Wolfpack
Actually no. Flynn was compelled by the FBI to cut a deal. Either cut a deal or Comey was going after his family. Turns out, the FBI was corrupt and they were caught in a bogus prosecution. First thing I would do if I were Flynn would be to file a lawsuit and put the FBI trial. There is information coming out as we speak that is damming to the cabal of corrupt G-men attempting a bloodless coup against American democracy. Looking forward to this Summers indictments from John Durham against the Russia Hoax conspirators.
bass4funk
Yes, any caring parent would lie if corrupt FBI officials threatened them with prison time. My kids mean everything to me, so if it comes to that, I’ll sing and dance.
pointofview
Time for a few of those FBI thugs to get charged and thrown in the slammer.
stormcrow
What do Trump & Co., Putin, crooked generals and Russian mobsters all have in common?
They're bosom buddies.
ulysses
Treason, I am sure thats a minor crime when it involves a country which has Donny's master as a President.
By vote and you know for what, random articles of his ratings doesn't change that.
Is the FBI a political party now, talk about nutter delusions...
bass4funk
Not what the FBI records show and that’s why their case is unraveling faster than a cat can chase yarn.
That won’t happen, if it does and I hope, the Dems will be defeated again, they shot twice and missed, the people aren’t going to give them a 3rd chance.
They acted as a wing of it to undermine this President and like exploding cigar they got Schiff has his own worries as does Comey and Wrey.
Jsapc
If I was into conspiracy theories, I would probably think that the Barr and the DOJ did all of this only to get the media talking about something else than Trump's subpar job with the pandemic response and his now catastrophic economy. But I will give give them the benefit of the doubt, they probably only did it because they are fantastically corrupt.
ulysses
Wrong, try reading a bit and understand the reasons for the release.
Hate to break it to you, he got impeached !!
Selective memory doesn't help, nutters were cheering when the Hilary emails came up , now when the FBI shows how treasonous donny's government and its people are, nutters are mad...
bass4funk
So basically what you are saying is, the media shouldn’t do their job and just not report it, as if they really do their jobs is a totally different question.
Let’s see how the FBI will handle this.
bass4funk
Ok, so framing a 3 star General is not a big thing? The government can walk and chew gum at the same time, but yes, it’s huge, now had this happened under a Democrat administration, 33 unemployed or not, heads would be chopped off and houses torched.
Blacklabel
and you are more interested in deflecting to your preferred ”we hate Trump” topics.