Flynn...Russians..sanctions

[Jacque67 7,328]

Federal officials who have read the transcript of the call were surprised by Mr. Flynn’s comments, since he would have known that American eavesdroppers closely monitor such calls. They were even more surprised that Mr. Trump’s team publicly denied that the topics of conversation included sanctions.

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The call is the latest example of how Mr. Trump’s advisers have come under scrutiny from American counterintelligence officials. The F.B.I. is also investigating Mr. Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; Carter Page, a businessman and former foreign policy adviser to the campaign; and Roger Stone, a longtime Republican operative.

Prosecutions in these types of cases are rare, and the law is murky, particularly around people involved in presidential transitions. The officials who had read the transcripts acknowledged that while the conversation warranted investigation, it was unlikely, by itself, to lead to charges against a sitting national security adviser.

But, at the very least, openly engaging in policy discussions with a foreign government during a presidential transition is a remarkable breach of protocol. The norm has been for the president-elect’s team to respect the sitting president, and to limit discussions with foreign governments to pleasantries. Any policy discussions, even with allies, would ordinarily be kept as vague as possible.

“It’s largely shunned, period. But one cannot rule it out with an ally like the U.K.,” said Derek Chollet, who was part of the Obama transition in 2008 and then served in senior roles at the State Department, White House and Pentagon.

“But it’s way out of bounds when the said country is an adversary, and one that has been judged to have meddled in the election,” he added. “It’s just hard to imagine anyone having a substantive discussion with an adversary, particularly if it’s about trying to be reassuring.”

[Jacque67 7,328]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/09/us/flynn-is-said-to-have-talked-to-russians-about-sanctions-before-trump-took-office.html

[Jacque67 7,328]

Update

 

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/319030-op-democrat-on-senate-homeland-security-committee-calls-for-fbi

[CaliCat 3,957]

It's getting uglier by the minute. Publicity spots on White House property, phone call with the Russians, and unconstitutional executive orders. And despite the drama, the so-called president's popularity keeps getting lower.

[Jacque67 7,328]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/politics/michael-flynn-donald-trump-white-house/

 

96 hours later "evaluating the situation "

[Jacque67 7,328]

The acting attorney general informed the Trump White House late last month that she believed Michael Flynn had misled senior administration officials about the nature of his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States, and warned that the national security adviser was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail, current and former U.S. officials said.

The message, delivered by Sally Q. Yates and a senior career national security official to the White House counsel, was prompted by concerns that ­Flynn, when asked about his calls and texts with the Russian diplomat, had told Vice ­President-elect Mike Pence and others that he had not discussed the Obama administration sanctions on Russia for its interference in the 2016 election, the officials said. It is unclear what the White House counsel, Donald McGahn, did with the information.

[Jacque67 7,328]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-department-warned-white-house-that-flynn-could-be-vulnerable-to-russian-blackmail-officials-say/2017/02/13/fc5dab88-f228-11e6-8d72-263470bf0401_story.html

[yuna628 9,528]

Heard Petraeus might be the replacement if it comes to it.

 

So much more cleaning house to do.. and so little time.

[X Factor 1,110]

Flynn just resigned

[CaliCat 3,957]

43 minutes ago, X Factor said:

Flynn just resigned

 

That was quick. Not even a month since inauguration and the whole thing starts crumbing down. Even Frank Underwood could do better than Trump.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Hmmm...first Manafort, now Flynn...

need to get some pizza!!!!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Flynn was heavily vetted, and in the running for VP pick. Donald Trump sure knows a thing or two about vetting!

[Jacque67 7,328]

Oh and Carter Page.

 

meanwhile....

 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he has earned U.S. President Donald Trump’s backing in seeking closer ties with Russia in a bid to resolve a long-standing territorial row over islands off Hokkaido that Japan wants returned.

“President Trump understands Japan’s (policy) to promote dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve the territorial issue,” Abe told a TV program after returning from the United States, where he held his first summit with Trump on Friday and Saturday in Washington and Florida.

Trump has adopted a softer stance toward Russia than his predecessor, Barack Obama, who was at odds with Putin over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

The Obama administration had been cautious about Abe courting Putin with economic cooperation and even requested that he refrain from visiting Russia at one point, government sources said earlier.

[Jacque67 7,328]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/14/national/politics-diplomacy/abe-says-trump-encouraged-boost-ties-dialogue-putin/

 

also remember trump's tweet saying Putin was smart for delaying on reacting to Obama's sanctions? Posted a day after Flynn contacted Russia's ambassador ....

[Transborderwife 4,666]

7 hours ago, CaliCat said:

 

That was quick. Not even a month since inauguration and the whole thing starts crumbing down. Even Frank Underwood could do better than Trump.

Heck, Carrie underwood would do better