The Flynn case continues to have its unexpected twists and turns. The Washington Post headline reports another twist:
“Federal judge hires high-powered D.C. attorney to defend his actions in Flynn case.”
A quick review of how we got here.
- The FBI WFO opened a FARA investigation into Flynn in the summer of 2016 solely based on the fact that he was in the Trump campaign and that he had traveled to Russia in the past. This investigation had no predication.
- On January 4, 2017, the WFO closed the investigation without finding ANY derogatory information.
- FBI HQ overrode the closing and used an ambush interview on January 24, 2017 to frame Flynn.
- The agents said Flynn was truthful. Their conclusions were overridden by FBI HQ. One agent filed a complaint with the IG about this. That agent is no longer in Washington.
- Flynn was coerced into a guilty plea by threatening his son with prosecution.
- The judge who accepted the plea was recused immediately afterward. Sullivan was assigned to continue the case.
- In January AG Barr assigned Jeff Jensen of the USAO in Missouri to review the case.
- Jensen discovered a trail of internal evidence pointing toward a corrupt prosecution against Flynn. Mr. Jensen has been releasing those documents.
- The DOJ joined with the defense to file a motion to drop the case.
- DNI Ric Grenell has declassified and released documents detailing the corruption of the US Intelligence Community against LTG Flynn.
- Before granting the dismissal motion Sullivan asked for Amicus briefs in violation of all Rules and precedents.
- The DC Circuit Court ordered Sullivan personally to explain why he has not granted the dismissal motion by June 1.
- On Friday, May 22, 2020, the FBI Director announced an investigation into illegal conduct by the FBI as it relates to the Flynn case.
That’s how we got to where we are. Keep in mind the Dc Circuit Court is the same court that replaced the previous judge.
Sullivan has hired a “high-powered” Washington attorney, Beth Wilkinson, to help him in responding to the Circuit Court. Sundance over at CTH notes,
Much sunlight has been shed on this case during the last few weeks. The actions of various entities in the FBI and the DOJ throughout this case absolutely stink.
Sullivan has been on the district court bench since the Clinton administration. Sullivan is no dummy. He knows the court rules and precedents. It appears to me that Sullivan has hired a defense attorney to protect himself.
On the surface it appears that Sullivan did not have any reason to ask for amicus briefs. This was his decision in the courtroom (or was someone pulling the strings behind the curtain?). Now he has hired someone to guide him in explaining HIS decision. This is a god-awful mess. But the bright side is that the longer it goes on, the more Washington elite that are being exposed as crooked.
In that vein it is now being reported that Judge Sullivan helped Jim Comey get a speaking gig at Howard University for $100,000. This was after Comey was fired. Why didn’t Sullivan recuse himself?
The Circuit Court knows that the entire judicial system is on public trial here. The strange, the unusual, the incomprehensible have become commonplace. Sullivan has made a mockery of the DC Circuit Court.
But, the big question is just what does Flynn know and about whom? The Democrats and their allies are scared to death of Michael Flynn. The judge does not need outside counsel for an appellate review. His clerks and the judge could handle the paperwork. Or Sullivan could dismiss the Flynn case and make the issue moot.
Of course, once the case is dismissed, the gag order on Flynn goes away. Does Flynn’s information tie in with the Ukrainian “affluence” operation? Did the mullahs in Iran really get all that cash that was shipped to them? Did some of the untraceable bank notes “disappear” in transit to Iran? Who financed the Libya uprisings? And on and on.
I think it may be an interesting summer.