Justice Department warned Trump on Flynn - official

[webfact]

Justice Department warned Trump on Flynn - official

By Steve Holland and Emily Stephenson

REUTERS

 

U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn boards Air Force One at West Palm Beach International airport in West Palm Beach, Florida U.S., February 12, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Justice Department warned the White House weeks ago that national security adviser Michael Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail for contacts with Russian officials before President Donald Trump took power, a U.S. official said on Monday.

 

Trump is evaluating the situation surrounding Flynn and talking to Vice President Mike Pence about it, Trump's spokesman said, in a pointed refusal to make a public show of support for his embattled aide.

 

The U.S. official confirmed a Washington Post report that Sally Yates, the then-acting U.S. attorney general, told the White House late last month that she believed Flynn had misled them about the nature of his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

 

She said Flynn might have put himself into a compromising position, possibly leaving himself vulnerable to blackmail, the official said. Yates was later fired for opposing Trump's temporary entry ban for people from seven mostly Muslim nations.

 

Flynn had told Pence he had not discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Russian officials in the weeks before Trump took office on Jan. 20, prompting Pence to defend him in subsequent television interviews.

 

In recent days, Flynn has acknowledged he might have discussed sanctions with the Russians but could not remember with 100 percent certainty, which officials said had upset Pence, who felt he had been misled.

 

Officials said Flynn apologised to Pence twice, including in person on Friday.

 

"The president is evaluating the situation. He is speaking to ... Vice President Pence relative to the conversation the vice president had with General Flynn and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is, our national security," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.

 

EARLY TRUMP SUPPORTER

 

Flynn, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, was an early supporter of Trump and shares his interest in shaking up the establishment in Washington.

 

The White House statement, arranged during a meeting among Trump, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and Spicer, suggested that the review into Flynn's activities stretched beyond the conversations he had with Russian officials.

 

Some news reports have focussed on accusations that there has been dysfunction in the operation of the National Security Council with Flynn at the helm.

 

An hour before Spicer read his statement, Kellyanne Conway, one of Trump's closest aides, had told reporters that Flynn had the full confidence of the president.

 

It was notable, however, that Trump did not use the opportunity of a joint news conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday to make a public show of support for Flynn.

 

Top White House officials have been reviewing Flynn's contacts with the Russians and whether he discussed the possibility of lifting U.S. sanctions on Russia once Trump took office.

 

That would potentially be in violation of a law banning private citizens from engaging in foreign policy, known as the Logan Act.

 

Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer told reporters he wanted an independent investigation of Flynn’s discussions with the Russians.

 

“His security clearance ought to be withdrawn until that independent investigation is completed. And if he has violated any law or ethical precept, he ought to be fired," Schumer said.

 

There was no indication from transcripts of Flynn’s conversations that he had promised to lift the sanctions but rather that he made more general comments about hoping for better U.S.-Russian relations with Trump, a U.S. official said.

 

Flynn was going about his business despite the cloud hanging over him, participating in national security meetings.

 

He was at Trump's side at the president's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida on Saturday when word reached the presidential entourage that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile at the same time Trump was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

 

While Trump left Flynn's status pending, he appeared to close the door on another source of speculation, as to whether Priebus might be replaced.

 

Appearing briefly before reporters in the West Wing of the White House, Trump said Priebus was doing a "great job."

 

(Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-14

 

[Grouse]

Should be blocked for 90 days and subjected to extreme vetting (in the veterinarian sense of the word)

[mtls2005]

Time to get Billy Bush on the horn; they're going to need that bus to throw Flynn under.

[boomerangutang]

Borderline treason.  If you or I had secret communications with the Russians (or Iranians or N.koreans) which affected US relations with those countries, it's likely we would be indicted.  But we're just ordinary people.  Trump and his goons have thus far been able to tip-toe around the minefield of their illegal activities, but they can't tip-toe forever.  Their words and deeds will catch up to them, and no amount of Trump defecating on the courts will deter judges from doing the right thing.

 

 

 

[boomerangutang]

         Mark my words:  just as Trump often replaced his campaign managers, he will also shake up Oval Office staff and his other sheeple insiders.  Who would want a job where you'd be required to lie daily, in order to try and shield the US's #1 liar?   Conway and Spicer are just the two we see daily.  There are also the phalanx of career liars who stick to the shadows of the Oval Office, like Priebus, Bannon, Ivanka's husband, and Miller (to name a few).   I would call them all Machievelian, but that would be too kind.

[craigt3365]

Quote

She said Flynn might have put himself into a compromising position, possibly leaving himself vulnerable to blackmail, the official said. Yates was later fired for opposing Trump's temporary entry ban for people from seven mostly Muslim nations.

Well, he already fired Yates.  So who is Trump going to fire now for this? LOL

[Ulysses G.]

2 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Well, he already fired Yates. 

 

Yates was appointed by Barack Obama and told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order. She refused to carry out her constitutional duty to enforce and defend the law. Not quite the same situation.

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Yates was appointed by Barack Obama and told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order. She refused to carry out her constitutional duty to enforce and defend the law. Not quite the same situation.

 

Exactly, she was fired for not being a team player, and being unwilling to violate the U.S. Constitution.

 

Flynn appears to be a team player, for Russia.

[craigt3365]

12 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Yates was appointed by Barack Obama and told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order. She refused to carry out her constitutional duty to enforce and defend the law. Not quite the same situation.

And in the end, she did the right thing and was fired by a president who perhaps issued an illegal EO.  Smart lady, dumb president.

[boomerangutang]

From an email from my friend Cenk at TYT;

 

     "We’re just a few weeks into the Trump presidency — although honestly it feels like three years. The firehose of news coming out of the administration is exactly why we need a strong independent media. Someone needs to investigate the countless conflicts of interest in the Trump administration and hold the political establishment accountable. 

 

If you’re wondering why the mainstream media is totally incapable of covering this stuff properly, it’s because they are a part of that same political establishment. Their funders are the same wealthy people and corporations that have a vested interest in maintaining a status quo where the rest of the country continues to get screwed."    

 

        Boomer's added comment:   Where is the Justice Dept's investigation of Putin/Russia assisting Trump in during the election campaign?  Interesting, that FBI released the report of looking into Wiener's emails which, by inference, colored swing voters' opinion on HRC.  The FBI hadn't seen any of Wiener's emails when they alerted Congress, and after investigating, the FBI found nothing bad on HRC.  

 

      Comey was prompted by Trump bosom buddy Guiliani to release that non-news (Guiliani admitted it).  The FBI acted very quickly on that fake news.  HOW QUICKLY IS THE FBI ACTING ON PUTIN HELPING TRUMP GET ELECTED?!?!?!   Indeed, the FBI didn't even commit to checking into that.  COMEY AND THE FBI SHOULD BE INDICTED FOR TREASON.  I jest not!   

 

.....and the saddest joke of all are the legions of Trump Brown-Shirt-like fans who shouted "Lock Her Up" against HRC for simply using a private email server.  It's like wanting to lock up a person for burning the toast in a toaster, when her neighbor sprayed petrol over 100 houses and torched them.   Lock up the toast burner, but leave the arsonist who burned down the whole city, alone.

[boomerangutang]

17 minutes ago, siam2007 said:

this is becoming more a US politics discussion board than anything else. How desperate must the new owners (most likely US nationals as most such topics cover US themes) be. If they concentrate on THAI topics, they may be successful to get more users back. Otherwise this Forum is doomed (as soon as Sheryl and Ubonjoe quit, it is doomed anyway, no matter how)

You can read or not read any topics you please.   It so happens, legions of stupid Americans voted for a man who is dangerous and harmful for America and the world.  That is why there are daily articles about him.  If there is a massive cockroach infestation in your house, guess where your focus will be.

[jcsmith]

27 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Yates was appointed by Barack Obama and told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order. She refused to carry out her constitutional duty to enforce and defend the law. Not quite the same situation.

Yates refused to execute an unlawful order. 

[mtls2005]

Thunk, thunk.

 

Sound of bus running over this traitor.

 

Now he'll move in to the nebulous "private sector" and really cause some harm, while making some serious coin.

[boomerangutang]

Sometimes world news affects Thailand.  For example, if Bannon and Trump are party to a N-bomb exchange (perhaps nuking Bangladesh or Pakistan or Indonesia, because they're majority Muslim), then the it could affect Thailand.    Sound outlandish?   Not if you look closely at how those two nutjobs think.  Their speeches are in the public record.   Read or listen to them, and weep for the fact that idiot Americans were completely hoodwinked into voting for such dangerous folks.

[derator01]

Please stick to the topic.  If you have issues with the forum, please visit the support forum and post there.

[Andaman Al]

29 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Yates was appointed by Barack Obama and told justice department lawyers not to defend his executive order. She refused to carry out her constitutional duty to enforce and defend the law. Not quite the same situation.

So you are one of the guys who said that a 90 year old German should be imprisoned for following orders as a 19 year old because the orders were illegal and now you want an Assistant AG to FOLLOW orders/laws that she as a professional attorney deemed illegal? Can we have a little consistency from the hang em high Brigade. As you say, her Constitutional duty is to uphold the law but she was smart enough to realise that the order was not legal in the format it was presented. Had she ordered people to defend it she risked breaking the constitution. You seem happy to spin anything anyway you want to get it your way. A very Trumpy thing to do.

 

 

[webfact]

White House national security adviser Michael Flynn quits amid scandal over contact with Russia - US media /BBC 

[Andaman Al]

1 minute ago, webfact said:

White House national security adviser Michael Flynn quits amid scandal over contact with Russia - US media /BBC 

That's a good start. Now jail him. I guess he has been shown the transcript now of what he forgot he said.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Andaman Al

[webfact]

U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigns, CNN says

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO: National security adviser General Michael Flynn delivers a statement daily briefing at the White House in Washington U.S., February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/968758-trump-national-security-adviser-flynn-resigns-in-controversy-over-russian-contacts/

 

[Opl]

The timeline of Trump's ties with Russia lines up with allegations of conspiracy and misconduct

Events that unfolded in the final months of the election — especially as they related to key players linked to and within Trump's inner circle — are illuminated by some of the allegations contained in the dossier. Four of these players and their role in these events warrant closer examination.

http://www.businessinsider.fr/us/trump-russia-ties-michael-flynn-dossier-2017-2/

[Berkshire]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

White House national security adviser Michael Flynn quits amid scandal over contact with Russia - US media /BBC 

 

It seems the media did their job in exposing Flynn.  Need to do a lot more with nearly everyone associated with the Trump administration. 

[bobbin]

Two down....

[mtls2005]

I'm sure there will be at least seven (7) congressional inquiries into this Flynn mess...

 

just like email servers and Benghazi.

 

/justkidding

 

I'm sure someone played a snippet of the NSA voice recordings for him. Go quietly, or else.

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2017 by mtls2005

[Opl]

 

The timeline of Trump's ties with Russia lines up with allegations of conspiracy and misconduct

 

Events that unfolded in the final months of the election — especially as they related to key players linked to and within Trump's inner circle — are illuminated by some of the allegations contained in the dossier. Four of these players and their role in these events warrant closer examination.

 

http://www.businessinsider.fr/us/trump-russia-ties-michael-flynn-dossier-2017-2/

 

The Fates Of 5 Men Connected To The Trump-Russia Dossier

 

"Did Mr. Flynn go rogue? Or did Mr. Trump—who now claims to be mystified about the news of Mr. Flynn’s pre-inauguration conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.—order the conversation and then deny knowledge of it, much like he had many conversations with Carter Page and now denies knowing him at all?"

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-fates-of-5-men-connected-to-the-trump-russia-dossier_us_589f5472e4b080bf74f03cd6

Edited February 14, 2017 by Opl

[boomerangutang]

The US is in a weird situation now, where the president and his people are at odds with all the Federal intelligence services.  I don't think this has ever happened before in the 240 year history of the USA. 

 

Basically, the intelligence services cannot trust the president.  That's a sad state of affairs.  Trump, Bannon and the other insiders are a cat's whisker away from trials for treason.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, Opl said:

pre-inauguration conversations

In a related matter was Putin's immediate and very firm denial that there were not any such conversations with the Trump election team beyond the topic of Obama's sanctions on Russia. Now clearly the Russian government has been caught RED-handed with clear evidence to which Flynn has admitted. I'm sure both Republican and Democrat congressmen will be interested establishing a complete timeline of who did and knew what between Russian and Trump election team contacts before Trump's election.

Was Trump a principal in such contacts?

[notmyself]

There is a bigger issue here which is not being discussed much on most media.  While both Trump and Pence could (Pence did on Sunday) say that they were told by Flynn that he had not discussed sanctions and so were unaware. I forget the term but it goes something like viable deniability or some such. It seems that the DoJ had itself informed the WH last month that Flynn had indeed spoken about sanctions. Not sure about Trump but Pence certainly knew that he had done so yet said many times that he had not. That means he lied.

 

[Viable deniability is wrong for sure... perhaps another member can help me out of the correct term]

[tx22cb]

6 minutes ago, notmyself said:

There is a bigger issue here which is not being discussed much on most media.  While both Trump and Pence could (Pence did on Sunday) say that they were told by Flynn that he had not discussed sanctions and so were unaware. I forget the term but it goes something like viable deniability or some such. It seems that the DoJ had itself informed the WH last month that Flynn had indeed spoken about sanctions. Not sure about Trump but Pence certainly knew that he had done so yet said many times that he had not. That means he lied.

 

[Viable deniability is wrong for sure... perhaps another member can help me out of the correct term]

Plausible deniability?

The Trump inner cabinet stinks - they hope the brouhaha will end with Flynn.  But there's speculation that at least Trump & Bannon knew what Flynn did.

Trump now deflecting like mad, tweeting " The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?".  Going after the messenger/media, rather than the lying soldier.

[notmyself]

3 hours ago, notmyself said:

. Not sure about Trump but Pence certainly knew that he had done so yet said many times that he had not. That means he lied.

 

Just watched a live press briefing by Sean Spicer on the subject and he said that Trump was advised but refused (Spicer) to go into any more details on the basis that 'he can't'.. Why he can't is up for debate I guess. SNL has been doing skits on these issues for months and have at times taken a bit of a drubbing for not being funny enough. Hmmm.... I would have to agree for the most part because just watching the reality is right up there when it comes to humour so getting an edge on it is not easy. It's like slapstick where you see in B&W some fella throws a banana skin on the ground and you know full well someone is going to slip on it but you still laugh when someone does. SNL is trying to rework a sketch which is already as funny as x.

[wayned]

He said that he would run the country like a business but it looks like it's more like his host of the "apprentice", coining his favorite saying, "YOU'RE FIRED", even though I just hired you less than a month ago! Not even a month and he has threatened Iran, threatened an unstable North Korea, barred immigrants and visitors due to their religious beliefs, pissed off many middle eastern Islamic countries and now is firing the bozos that he just hired!  What's next?