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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsdigby on dt, flynn, and the kidnapping plot
https://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/im-fascinated-by-this-latest-twist-in.htmlSunday, November 19, 2017
I'm fascinated by this latest twist in the Mueller investigation about Trump, Flynn and the 15 million dollar kidnapping plot. Trump obviously knew about it and tried to get Comey to go easy on his pal anyway. But what if he actually ok'd it? It sure seems to be something he'd think was so much winning...
When President Donald Trump allegedly tried to stop the FBI investigation of his national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, was Trump aware of Flynns meetings with Turkish officials? If so, it could significantly increase the presidents exposure to political liability and legal wrongdoing involving obstruction of justice.
A crucial part of the timeline is the reported efforts of the White House to stop the investigation of Flynn in late March.
On Valentines Day, the president asked FBI Director James Comey if he could see his way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go, according to Comeys congressional testimony and contemporaneous notes (Trump has denied this, but Donald Trump Jr. has essentially confirmed it). What would Trump have wanted Comey to let go exactly? So far the media has focused on federal investigators probe at the time into whether Flynn lied to the FBI. But at the same time there was also a federal investigation into Flynns work on behalf of Turkeyand the White House knew about it. We also now know that on Sept. 19, 2016, and in mid-December, Flynn reportedly met with senior Turkish officials, and is alleged to have discussed the prospect of kidnapping and secretly removing a U.S. resident, cleric Fethullah Gülen, from the United States into Turkeys custody. If Trump knew about the Turkey meetingsor what might have been discussedat the time of the Feb. 14 exchange with Comey, that would raise a different order of problem for the president, Ben Wittes exclaimed on Lawfares podcast. Wittes is right.
Here are a number of data points on the timeline, as well as statements provided to Just Security by former CIA Director James Woolseys spokesperson, that might clarify what the White House knew and when it knew it.
It is not only important to understand what the president knew on Feb. 14, but also what he became aware of in the weeks and months afterward. Thats because Trump reportedly took additional steps to try to stop the investigation of Flynn following the Oval Office meeting with Comey. A crucial part of the timeline, for example, is the reported efforts of the White House to stop the investigation of Flynn in late March 2017 and the revelation of Flynns September 2016 meeting with Turkish officials around that same time.
Even if the president had no knowledge of the potential kidnapping meetings, if he tried to obstruct the federal investigation into Flynns work as an agent of a foreign government (Turkey), it would significantly raise the prospect of legal and political liability beyond his potential liability for obstructing the Russia-related investigation.
Reviewing this timeline, the mounting evidence of Flynn having been a paid foreign agent for Turkey seems likely to have figured into Trumps calculus in relieving him of duty. The White House knew of the threatening nature of an active federal investigation of Flynns work on behalf of Turkey when the president allegedly asked Comey to let Flynn go on Feb. 14. Finally, the information contained in Flynns filing as a foreign agent in early March was likely on the minds of White House senior officials when they reportedly attempted to get top intelligence officials to intervene with Comey to drop the Flynn investigation that month.
These claims may sound strong when stacked together. But they are also each qualified and relatively modest all things considered. Thats because we dont know the full picture. Even if Flynns foreign agent filings were on senior officials minds, they may have acted for other reasons, for example. And when they reportedly asked top intelligence officials to get Comey to halt the Flynn investigation, maybe they limited their inquiry to the Russia-related part. All that said, theres a mountain of information here that raise serious questions and lend circumstantial support to our conclusions.
A crucial part of the timeline is the reported efforts of the White House to stop the investigation of Flynn in late March.
On Valentines Day, the president asked FBI Director James Comey if he could see his way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go, according to Comeys congressional testimony and contemporaneous notes (Trump has denied this, but Donald Trump Jr. has essentially confirmed it). What would Trump have wanted Comey to let go exactly? So far the media has focused on federal investigators probe at the time into whether Flynn lied to the FBI. But at the same time there was also a federal investigation into Flynns work on behalf of Turkeyand the White House knew about it. We also now know that on Sept. 19, 2016, and in mid-December, Flynn reportedly met with senior Turkish officials, and is alleged to have discussed the prospect of kidnapping and secretly removing a U.S. resident, cleric Fethullah Gülen, from the United States into Turkeys custody. If Trump knew about the Turkey meetingsor what might have been discussedat the time of the Feb. 14 exchange with Comey, that would raise a different order of problem for the president, Ben Wittes exclaimed on Lawfares podcast. Wittes is right.
Here are a number of data points on the timeline, as well as statements provided to Just Security by former CIA Director James Woolseys spokesperson, that might clarify what the White House knew and when it knew it.
It is not only important to understand what the president knew on Feb. 14, but also what he became aware of in the weeks and months afterward. Thats because Trump reportedly took additional steps to try to stop the investigation of Flynn following the Oval Office meeting with Comey. A crucial part of the timeline, for example, is the reported efforts of the White House to stop the investigation of Flynn in late March 2017 and the revelation of Flynns September 2016 meeting with Turkish officials around that same time.
Even if the president had no knowledge of the potential kidnapping meetings, if he tried to obstruct the federal investigation into Flynns work as an agent of a foreign government (Turkey), it would significantly raise the prospect of legal and political liability beyond his potential liability for obstructing the Russia-related investigation.
Reviewing this timeline, the mounting evidence of Flynn having been a paid foreign agent for Turkey seems likely to have figured into Trumps calculus in relieving him of duty. The White House knew of the threatening nature of an active federal investigation of Flynns work on behalf of Turkey when the president allegedly asked Comey to let Flynn go on Feb. 14. Finally, the information contained in Flynns filing as a foreign agent in early March was likely on the minds of White House senior officials when they reportedly attempted to get top intelligence officials to intervene with Comey to drop the Flynn investigation that month.
These claims may sound strong when stacked together. But they are also each qualified and relatively modest all things considered. Thats because we dont know the full picture. Even if Flynns foreign agent filings were on senior officials minds, they may have acted for other reasons, for example. And when they reportedly asked top intelligence officials to get Comey to halt the Flynn investigation, maybe they limited their inquiry to the Russia-related part. All that said, theres a mountain of information here that raise serious questions and lend circumstantial support to our conclusions.
This seems like Trump all the way down to me. Flynn is crazy and Trump believed that as president he was immune from all laws. (He still thinks that if the president does it it's not illegal when it comes to outright corruption.) I find it entirely plausible that he thought this was an awesome plan and told Flynn to go for it.
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digby on dt, flynn, and the kidnapping plot (Original Post)
babylonsister
Nov 2017
OP
MLAA
(17,311 posts)1. Wonder how they agreed to split the $15m bribe? 60% IMpotus and 40% Flynn?
babylonsister
(171,079 posts)2. I sincerely hope we find out!! nt