“It has been extraordinarily painful to endure these many months of false accusations of “treason” and other outrageous acts….Such false accusations are contrary to everything I have ever done and stood for. But I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong, and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right.”
General Mike Flynn (December 1 2017)
“Those present discussed sending Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim leader who Erdogan has accused of being behind a failed military coup to overthrow him, back to Turkey to face charges — possibly outside the legal US extradition system.”
Former CIA Director James Woolsey
November 7 2017 — Special counsel Robert Mueller has collected sufficient evidence to charge Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, and his son in the investigation into alleged collusion between Trump aides and Russia, NBC News reported on Sunday. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY
RELATED POST: Flynngate — Senator Ron Wyden: “CIA Director Pompeo owes the public an explanation.”
RELATED POST: There’s Something That Michael Flynn Knows That Has Trump Extremely Nervous
RELATED POST: Sean Spicer just told a whopper about Foreign Agent Mike Flynn — UPDATE: NYT Confirmed
RELATED POST: Flynngate — The Day Donald Fired Trump [TIMELINE]
RELATED POST: Former CIA Director James Woolsey: “Flynn discussed sending illegally Gulen back to Turkey.”
UPDATE (November 8 2018) — On February 14 2017, while President Trump was asking FBI Director James Comey to drop the investigation of General Flynn, INTEL TODAY suggested that Flynn could be indicted and Trump impeached.
On December 1 2017, Flynn admitted to one count of knowingly making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements“.
General Mike Flynn, who appeared in federal court in Washington (on December 1 2017), acknowledged that he was cooperating with the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In a deal with prosecutors, Flynn is rumoured to have offered testimony about conversations inside the Trump transition team regarding the contacts with Russian operatives — which is the focus of a major investigation by Mueller.
According to a confidant, Flynn is prepared to testify that — before taking office — President Donald Trump had directed him to make contact with Russians.
RELATED POST: Russiagate — Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn Charged Over False Statements to FBI
Sentencing of Flynn has been deferred several times, the last time on July 10, 2018. As part of Flynn’s plea negotiations, his son, Michael G. Flynn, is not expected to be charged.
END of UPDATE
The week began with Mueller’s indictment on financial charges of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and campaign aide Rick Gates – and news of a guilty plea and potential cooperation by a former foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos.
Citing multiple sources familiar with the investigation, NBC said Mueller’s team was looking at possible charges of money laundering and lying to federal agents, and Flynn’s role in a possible plan to remove an opponent of the Turkish president from the US in exchange for millions of dollars.
Flynn Intel Group — The September 19 2016 Meeting
On September 19 2016, Flynn — as a representative of Flynn Intel Group — met with senior representatives of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, including the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu — according to the WSJ.
Former CIA Director James Woolsey attended the meeting. In a CNN interview, Woolsey stated that:
“Those present discussed sending Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim leader who Erdogan has accused of being behind a failed military coup to overthrow him, back to Turkey to face charges — possibly outside the legal US extradition system.”
“It looks as if there was at least some strong suggestion by one or more of the Americans present at the meeting that we would be able, the United States would be able, through them, to be able to get hold of Gulen, the rival for Turkey’s political situation.”
Whatever happened exactly is not known, but it was sufficiently worrisome for Woolsey to inform immediately US officials.
“It was suspicious, it was concerning and I felt I need to say something about it… Lot of discussion to put Gulen out of action.”
What now?
David Graham just wrote a good piece for The Atlantic. Here is his conclusion:
“No wonder the Trump team was pleased that Manafort, rather than Flynn, took the first hit—but that relief could be short-lived.
Even if one takes Trump’s staunch denials of collusion with Russia entirely at face value, that doesn’t mean Robert Mueller can’t go after him on obstruction of justice or something else entirely.
A Flynn indictment is the shortest path to that outcome.”
TIMELINE
As part of his plea bargain, Michael Flynn has signed a “statement of the offence” that includes a timeline of the last week of December 2016. The dates of these statements are written in bold.
2013 — As DIA chief, Flynn visited the GRU headquarters in Moscow. He was the first US officer ever allowed inside its headquarters. A second GRU visit was planned but denied. During this trip, he meets Russian diplomat Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak for the first time.
February 2014 — Flynn meets Svetlana Lokhova at Cambridge (CIS)
April 2014 — Flynn ‘quits’ the Defense Intelligence Agency
October 8 2014 — a letter to Flynn from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Office of General Counsel explicitly warns Flynn, as he entered retirement, that he was prohibited by the Constitution from receiving payments from foreign sources without advance permission.
Summer 2015 –Flynn meets Trump for the first time after being invited to do so by his team
May 2016 — Flynn joins NSO Group as an “adviser”
July 15 2016 — Attempted coup in Turkey. Ankara claims Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, masterminded the failed putsch. Extradition requested. Turkey Coup: “CIA Plotters’ Meeting” in Büyükada
August 9 2016 — Flynn Intel Group entered into a contract with Inovo, a consulting firm based in the Netherlands. The work focused on Mr. Fethullah Gulen and charter schools in the United States that are associated with Gulen.
August 15 2016 — The Flynn – Inovo contract goes into effect.
August 15 2016 — Presidential Candidate donald Trump tweets: “I’ve got fresh evidence 13 CIA senior officers helped in Turkey Failed Coup. I will divulge the names in the coming days.” Trump and the Attempted Coup in Turkey : “13 CIA senior officers helped in Failed Coup”
August 24 2016 — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Turkey. Biden made it clear that an extradition request is a legal matter, not one for the POTUS to decide.
September 9 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $200k
September 19 2016 — Flynn met with senior representatives of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government at the Essex House hotel in New York City. Extradition of Gulen discussed. The Turkish officials are Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak who is the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
October [x] 2016 — Flynn Intel officials presented some of their ‘anti-Gulen’ research to the House Homeland Security Committee.
October 10 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $185k
November 8 2016 — Suspicions about Flynn’s ties to the Turkish government were sparked by an op-ed he wrote in the Hill. Flynn calls Gulen ‘shady’ and endorses his extradition.
November 10 2016 — Mike Flynn calling for the extradition of Gulen
November 10, 2016 — Obama warned Trump about Flynn during their Oval Office meeting
November 15 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $145k
November 17 2016 — President-elect Trump intends to pick Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn to be his National Security Advisor
November 18 2016 — Flynn becomes Trump’s NSA
Mid-December — Meeting between Mr Flynn and Turkish officials in New York. Flynn discussed having Mr Gulen transported on a private jet to the Turkish prison island of Imrali.
December 17 2016 — Three experts — including former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove — unexpectedly resigned from their positions at the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar (CIS), amid concerns that the Kremlin is behind a newly-established intelligence journal, which provides funding for CIS.
December 22 2016 — A “very senior” Trump transition team official tells Michael Flynn to contact foreign governments including Russia to discuss a pending UN Security Council vote on Israeli settlements.
December 22 & 23 — Mr Flynn urges Sergei Kislyak to vote against or delay the resolution; the next day Mr Kislyak says Russia would not vote against such a resolution
December 23 2016 — 14 Delegations in favour of UN Resolution 2334 as United States abstains.
December 28 2016 — Flynn sends text message to Russia Amb. Kislyak to wish him a Merry Christmas.
December 28 2016 — Russia Amb. Kislyak replies asking if they can talk on the phone?
December 28 2016 — Mr Kislyak contacts Mr Flynn – on the day President Obama announces sanctions against Russia for interfering in the presidential election.
December 29 2016 — US expels Russian diplomats over cyber attack allegations. The Obama administration said the GRU is responsible for the DNC hack.
December 29 2016 — Flynn and Russia Amb. Kislyak exchange (5?) phone calls. US sanctions are discussed.
December 29 2016 —Mr Flynn contacts “a senior official” in the Trump transition team at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss a response. He “immediately” calls the ambassador back, urging Russia not to escalate the situation, then gets back in touch with the Trump transition official
December 30 2016 — Putin announced that he would not retaliate. Trump praised Putin for the decision, writing in a Twitter post, “Great move on delay (by V.Putin). I always knew he was very smart!”
December 30 2016 — Russian President Vladimir Putin announces no immediate retaliation will take place
December 31 2016 — Mr Kislyak calls Mr Flynn to inform him of Russia’s position, and Mr Flynn contacts the Trump transition team.
January 5 2017 — “Effective immediately, Ambassador Woolsey is no longer a Senior Advisor to President-Elect Trump or the Transition.”Woolsey said on CNN that he did not want to “fly under false colors” any longer.
January 15 2017 — Vice President-elect Mike Pence appears on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” and defends Flynn’s conversations, saying Flynn did not discuss sanctions with Kislyak during phone calls in December.
January 24 2017 — Mike Flynn interviewed by the FBI (At the White House; No lawyer)
January 24 2017 —Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, again raised the issue with FBI Comey, who now backed away from his opposition to informing the White House.
January 26 2017 — Yates and a senior career national security official spoke to McGahn, the White House counsel. Yates tells the White House counsel that Flynn is vulnerable to blackmail by Russian intelligence. Yates considered Flynn’s comments in the intercepted call with Russia Amb. Kislyak to be “highly significant” and “potentially illegal”
January 27 2017 — Yates and McGahn second meeting. McGahn wants to know 4 Things. Why the DOJ cares? Is there a criminal case? Could the White House decision be interpreted as interference? What and where is the evidence against Flynn?
January 27 2017 — Trump invites Comey for dinner. Trump requests “pledge of loyalty”.
January 30 2017 — Sally Yates dismissed by President Trump
February 13 2017 — (Monday night) National Security Adviser Mike Flynn resigns
February 14 2017 — Trump asks Comey to drop the investigation on Flynn
March 8 2017 — Flynn Intel Group Inc filed retroactive documents with the Department of Justice to register as a foreign agent.
March 24 2017 — WSJ breaks the news of the September 19 meeting (Woolsey). The meeting was however mentioned in the documents filed on March 8 2017.
March 25 2017 — Julliette Kayyem (CNN) suggests Flynn made a deal with the FBI
May 9 2017 — CNN reported that a grand jury had begun issuing subpoenas to associates of Michael Flynn
May 9 2017 — Comey is dismissed by President Trump
May 10 2017 —The Senate Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to Mike Flynn
May 16 2017 — Memos reveal Trump asked FBI Comey to drop Flynn investigation
May 17 2017 — Robert Mueller appointed special Prosecutor
October 30 2017 — Special counsel Robert Mueller announced the indictments of former Trump campaign officials Paul Manafort and Rick Gates
October 30 2017 — Mueller’s office released a “statement of offense” outlining one major instance of when the Trump campaign tried to collude with Russia. George Papadopoulos — a foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign — pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents investigating the Trump-Russia scandal.
November 8 2017 — The Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows that Zarrab was released Nov. 8, three days after NBC News reported that the special counsel had enough evidence to bring charges against Flynn.
December 1 2017 — Flynn pleads guilty to making a false statement to the FBI in January 2017.
Mueller Reportedly Has Evidence to Arrest Michael Flynn—and His Son
Mueller is reportedly looking into whether Flynn tried to extradite a chief rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from the U.S. back to Turkey in exchange for millions of dollars.
Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, the F.B.I. was asked to reexamine Turkey’s request that Pennsylvania resident Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom Erdogan blames for orchestrating a coup against him, be removed back to Turkey.
While it’s unclear whether the request came from Flynn, Mueller’s team appears to be interested in allegations made by ex-C.I.A. director James Woolsey that Flynn talked with Turkish officials about kidnapping Gulen in September 2016.
UPDATE — Michael Flynn charged with making false statements to the FBI
REFERENCES
Robert Mueller has enough evidence to charge Michael Flynn and son – Guardian
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Robert Mueller — Enough evidence to charge Michael Flynn
One Year Ago — Robert Mueller Has Enough Evidence to Charge Michael Flynn
Intel Today 