The giant holes in Trump's Mike Flynn story point to "collusion" not obstruction

This is very long and there is a lot to chew on.

I liked it because it covers a lot about the early days of the Trump admin and a good reminder of what happened when this shit storm started .........



THE GIANT HOLES IN TRUMP’S MIKE FLYNN STORY POINT TO “COLLUSION,” NOT OBSTRUCTION

June 3, 2018/21 Comments/in 2016 Presidential Election, emptywheel, Mueller Probe /by emptywheel


I wanted to look more closely at the story the President’s lawyers told Mueller’s team about Flynn’s firing in January, both for what it reveals about the White House’s response to the Sally Yates warning, and for its claims about how it interprets DOJ actions. The letter reveals the following:

-The White House claims, Sally Yates’ public comments (which they entirely ignore) to the contrary, that they got DOJ permission to release the Mike Flynn intercept; given the timing of the story as laid out, and Trump’s question about FBI leaking, I actually think it possible if not likely that the White House was a source for the February 9 story leaking the intercept. If that’s true, it totally undermines the Trump letter.

-Don McGahn wrote a memo on the lead-up to Flynn’s firing two days after the firing, and one day after Trump’s “let it go” conversation with Jim Comey. It appears to be inconsistent with Transition materials, particularly an email showing (among other things) that Reince Priebus knew in real time what Flynn told Kislyak on December 29. Firing Comey would have been an effort to prevent FBI from discovering those transition period communications.

-The Trump letter didn’t address two of the questions asked about Flynn’s firing. In addition to remaining silent about what Trump really knew about what Flynn said to Pence, it doesn’t address Trump’s involvement in the transition period communications with Sergey Kislyak. That’s important because that’s the question that Flynn’s initial interview should have revealed. Contrary to what the letter claims, then, Flynn’s plea and Trump’s silence in the letter about the substance of the plea is proof not that Trump didn’t obstruct, but that Trump continues to refuse to explain why Flynn asked Kislyak to hold off on responding to sanctions, to say nothing of whether Flynn did so on his orders.


MUCH more on the link-

https://www.emptywheel.net/2018/06/03/the-giant-holes-in-trumps-mike-flynn-story-point-to-collusion-not-obstruction/


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