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riversedge

(70,220 posts)
Thu Dec 21, 2017, 06:29 AM Dec 2017

Exclusive White House Counsel Knew in January Flynn Probably Violated the Law



Where is the cry and outrage from faux news and Gawdy et all???


Exclusive
White House Counsel Knew in January Flynn Probably Violated the Law


http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/20/white-house-counsel-knew-in-january-flynn-probably-violated-the-law/
Don McGahn was looking at whether the national security advisor violated federal laws just days after Trump moved into the White House.
By Murray Waas | December 20, 2017, 12:07 PM


The White House turned over records this fall to special counsel Robert Mueller revealing that in the very first days of the Trump presidency, Don McGahn researched federal law dealing both with lying to federal investigators and with violations of the Logan Act, a centuries-old federal law that prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments, according to three people with direct knowledge of the confidential government documents.

The records reflected concerns that McGahn, the White House counsel, had that Michael Flynn, then the president’s national security advisor, had possibly violated either one or both laws at the time, according to two of the sources. The disclosure that these records exist and that they are in the possession of the special counsel could bolster any potential obstruction of justice case against President Donald Trump.


The records that McGahn turned over to the special counsel, portions of which were read to this reporter, indicate he researched both statutes and warned Trump about Flynn’s possible violations.


McGahn conducted the analysis shortly after learning that Flynn, on Dec. 29, 2016 — while Barack Obama was still president — had counseled the Russian ambassador to the United States at the time, Sergey Kislyak, not to retaliate against U.S. economic sanctions imposed against Russia by the outgoing administration.

McGahn believed that Flynn, and possibly anyone who authorized or approved of such contacts, would be in potential violation of the Logan Act, according to two of the sources, both of whom work in the administration.


The White House and the special counsel’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Despite McGahn’s concerns that Flynn violated one or both of these laws, Trump allowed Flynn to continue in his job and only fired him after the Washington Post reported that Flynn had lied to Vice President Mike Pence and other senior administration officials about his contacts with Kislyak.
That was 18 days after then-Acting Attorney General Sally Yates informed McGahn of her own concerns about Flynn’s covert diplomacy with Russia prior to Trump taking office................................





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Gen. Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, leaves Federal Court on Dec. 1, in Washington, DC.(Brendan Smialowksi/AFP/Getty Images)
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Exclusive White House Counsel Knew in January Flynn Probably Violated the Law (Original Post) riversedge Dec 2017 OP
HUGE K&R, if their reporting can be substantiated. ffr Dec 2017 #1

ffr

(22,670 posts)
1. HUGE K&R, if their reporting can be substantiated.
Fri Dec 22, 2017, 05:00 AM
Dec 2017

According to TRMS, this would be a big building block for Mueller's investigation into tRump's firing of Jame's Comey and obstruction of justice.

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