posted February 14, 2017 12:55 AM            

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/us/politics/donald-trump-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first -colu mn-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Michael T. Flynn, the national security adviser, resigned on Monday night after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

Mr. Flynn, who served in the job for less than a month, said he had given “incomplete information” regarding a telephone call he had with the ambassador in late December about American sanctions against Russia, weeks before Mr. Trump’s inauguration. Mr. Flynn previously had denied that he had any substantive conversations with Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak, and Mr. Pence repeated that claim in television interviews as recently as this month.

But on Monday, a former administration official said the Justice Department warned the White House last month that Mr. Flynn had not been fully forthright about his conversations with the ambassador. As a result, the Justice Department feared that Mr. Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail by Moscow.

In his resignation letter, which the White House emailed to reporters, Mr. Flynn said he had held numerous calls with foreign officials during the transition. “Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador,” he wrote. “I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology.”

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“I am tendering my resignation, honored to have served our nation and the American people in such a distinguished way,” Mr. Flynn wrote.

The White House said in the statement that it was replacing Mr. Flynn with retired Lt. Gen. Joseph K. Kellogg Jr. of the Army, a Vietnam War veteran, as acting national security adviser.

Mr. Flynn was an early and ardent supporter of Mr. Trump’s candidacy, and in his resignation he sought to the praise the president. “In just three weeks,” Mr. Flynn said, the new president “has reoriented American foreign policy in fundamental ways to restore America’s leadership position in the world.”

But in doing so, he inadvertently illustrated the brevity of his tumultuous run at the National Security Council, and the chaos that has gripped the White House in the first weeks of the Trump administration — and created a sense of uncertainty around the world.

DOCUMENT
Michael Flynn’s Resignation Letter
Michael T. Flynn, under scrutiny for his communication with Russia, resigned as President Trump's national security adviser late Monday.

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Earlier Monday, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, told reporters that “the president is evaluating the situation” about Mr. Flynn’s future. By Monday evening, Mr. Flynn’s fortunes were rapidly shifting — his resignation came roughly seven hours after Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to the president, said on MSNBC that Mr. Trump had “full confidence” in the retired general.

And when he did step down, it happened so quickly that his resignation does not appear to have been communicated to National Security Council staff members, two of whom said they learned about it from news reports.

Officials said Mr. Pence had told others in the White House that he believed Mr. Flynn lied to him by saying he had not discussed the topic of sanctions on a call with the Russian ambassador in late December. Even the mere discussion of policy — and the apparent attempt to assuage the concerns of an American adversary before Mr. Trump took office — represented a remarkable breach of protocol.

The F.B.I. had been examining Mr. Flynn’s phone calls as he came under growing questions about his interactions with Russian officials and his management of the National Security Council. The blackmail risk envisioned by the Justice Department would have stemmed directly from Mr. Flynn’s attempt to cover his tracks with his bosses. The Russians knew what had been said on the call; thus, if they wanted Mr. Flynn to do something, they could have threatened to expose the lie if he refused.

The Justice Department’s warning to the White House was first reported on Monday night by The Washington Post.

In addition, the Army has been investigating whether Mr. Flynn received money from the Russian government during a trip he took to Moscow in 2015, according to two defense officials. Such a payment might violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits former military officers from receiving money from a foreign government without consent from Congress. The defense officials said there was no record that Mr. Flynn, a retired three-star Army general, filed the required paperwork for the trip.

Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement late Monday that Mr. Flynn’s resignation would not close the question of his contact with Russian officials.

“General Flynn’s decision to step down as national security adviser was all but ordained the day he misled the country about his secret talks with the Russian ambassador,” said Mr. Schiff, noting that the matter is still under investigation by the House committee.

TRUMP’S NEW GOVERNMENT By DAVE HORN and SHANE O’NEILL 3:22
Flynn’s Controversies: Islam, Russia and More
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Flynn’s Controversies: Islam, Russia and More
Michael T. Flynn served in the military for 33 years before becoming a singular and divisive figure in the intelligence community during the Obama administration. Matthew Rosenberg looks at President Trump’s former national security adviser. By DAVE HORN and SHANE O’NEILL on Publish Date January 18, 2017. Photo by Kevin Hagen for The New York Times. Watch in Times Video »
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Two other Democratic lawmakers — Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan and Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland — called for an immediate briefing by the Justice Department and the F.B.I. over the “alarming new disclosures” that Mr. Flynn was a blackmail risk. “We need to know who else within the White House is a current and ongoing risk to our national security,” they said in a statement.

Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California and the chairman of the House intelligence committee, was supportive of Mr. Flynn until the end. “Washington, D.C., can be a rough town for honorable people, and Flynn — who has always been a soldier, not a politician — deserves America’s gratitude and respect,” Mr. Nunes said in a statement.

The White House had examined a transcript of a wiretapped conversation that Mr. Flynn had with Mr. Kislyak in December, according to administration officials. Mr. Flynn originally told Mr. Pence and others that the call was limited to small talk and holiday pleasantries.

But the conversation, according to officials who saw the transcript of the wiretap, also included a discussion about sanctions imposed on Russia after intelligence agencies determined that Mr. Putin’s government tried to interfere with the 2016 election on Mr. Trump’s behalf. Still, current and former administration officials familiar with the call said the transcript was ambiguous enough that Mr. Trump could have justified either firing or retaining Mr. Flynn.

Mr. Trump, however, had become increasingly concerned about the continued fallout over Mr. Flynn’s behavior, according to people familiar with his thinking, and told aides that the media storm around Mr. Flynn would damage the president’s image on national security issues.

It was not clear whether Mr. Kellogg would be asked to stay on as Mr. Flynn’s permanent replacement. Mr. Flynn brought Mr. Kellogg into the Trump campaign, according to a former campaign adviser, and the two have remained close.

One person close to the administration who was not authorized to discuss the personnel moves and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that retired Vice Admiral Robert S. Harward is the leading candidate to replace Mr. Flynn, although Mr. Kellogg and David H. Petraeus are still being discussed. It was not clear whether Mr. Petraeus is still expected to appear at the White House this week, as initially discussed by advisers to the president.

K. T. McFarland, Mr. Flynn’s deputy, still remains on Mr. Trump’s team, the campaign adviser said, adding that the temporary move of Mr. Kellogg should not be read as him remaining in that post.

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Mr. Flynn’s concealment of the call’s content, combined with questions about his management of his agency and reports of a demoralized staff, put him in a precarious position less than a month into Mr. Trump’s presidency.

Few members of Mr. Trump’s team were more skeptical of Mr. Flynn than the vice president, numerous administration officials said. Mr. Pence, who used the false information provided by Mr. Flynn to defend him in a series of television appearances, was incensed at Mr. Flynn’s lack of contrition for repeatedly embarrassing him by withholding the information, according to three administration officials familiar with the situation.

Mr. Flynn and Mr. Pence spoke twice in the past few days about the matter, but administration officials said that rather than fully apologize and accept responsibility, the national security adviser blamed his faulty memory — which irked the typically slow-to-anger Mr. Pence.

The slight was compounded by an episode late last year when Mr. Pence went on television to deny that Mr. Flynn’s son, who had posted conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton on social media, had been given a security clearance by the transition team. The younger Mr. Flynn had, indeed, been given such a clearance, even though his father had told Mr. Pence’s team that he had not.

Officials said classified information did not appear to have been discussed during the conversation between Mr. Flynn and the ambassador, which would have been a crime. The call was captured on a routine wiretap of diplomat’s calls, the officials said.

But current Trump administration officials and former Obama administration officials said that Mr. Flynn did appear to be reassuring the ambassador that Mr. Trump would adopt a more accommodating tone on Russia once in office.

Former and current administration officials said that Mr. Flynn urged Russia not to retaliate against any sanctions because an overreaction would make any future cooperation more complicated. He never explicitly promised sanctions relief, one former official said, but he appeared to leave the impression that it would be possible.

During his 2015 trip to Moscow, Mr. Flynn was paid to attend the anniversary celebration of Russia Today, a television network controlled by the Kremlin. At the banquet, he sat next to Mr. Putin.

Mr. Flynn had notified the Defense Intelligence Agency, which he once led, that he was taking the trip. He received a security briefing from agency officials before he left, which is customary for former top agency officials when they travel overseas.

posted February 14, 2017 01:04 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Randall:
It wasn't a big deal. The problem is he didn't disclose the conversation to Pence.

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posted February 14, 2017 01:30 PM            

quote:

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Retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn before the inauguration of President Trump last month. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times The resignation under pressure on Monday night of President Trump’s national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, centers on the F.B.I.’s scrutiny of his phone calls in late 2016 with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak. The two apparently discussed sanctions the Obama administration was developing to punish Russia over allegations of interference in the 2016 presidential election; officials have asserted that Russia hacked Democratic emails and provided them to WikiLeaks for publication to help Mr. Trump.

As a political matter, Mr. Flynn’s fall may have more to do with having misled the vice president-elect at the time, Mike Pence, who falsely told the public that there had been no discussion of sanctions, or with chaos and dysfunction on the National Security Council on his watch, than with any realistic legal exposure. But the affair has elevated interest in a law called the Logan Act.

What is the Logan Act?
The Logan Act is a 1799 statute that bars private citizens from interfering with diplomatic relations between the United States and foreign governments. It makes it a felony, punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to three years, if an American citizen, without government authorization, interacts “with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/logan-act-flynn.html?_r=0

posted February 14, 2017 02:48 PM            

Now caught "Red" Handed blurting information to the Russian Ambassador and misleading/misdirecting his own government.

Despite the Immigration Controversy, Trump and Pence have done very well in kicking him out. Full marks for courage. A more Competent man with awareness of the US Constitution will be an asset. American Asset, not Russian I hope

posted February 14, 2017 03:19 PM            

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the "erosion of that trust" over the circumstances surrounding retired Gen. Michael Flynn's calls with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. created "a critical mass and an unsustainable situation."

Flynn's ouster appeared to be driven more by the idea that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials than by the content of his discussions with Russia's ambassador. Still, the matter deepened questions about Trump's friendly posture toward Russia.

"This was an act of trust — whether or not he misled the vice president was the issue and that was ultimately what led to the president asking for and accepting the resignation of Gen. Flynn," Spicer said.

Flynn's resignation came after reports that the Justice Department had alerted the White House weeks ago that there were contradictions between Trump officials' public accounting of the Russia contacts and what intelligence officials knew to be true based on routine recordings of communications with foreign officials who are in the U.S.

Spicer said White House counsel's office reviewed the situation after it was flagged by the Department of Justice, and along with the president, the counsel determined that it did not pose a legal problem.

He declined to comment on whether anyone at the White House had read transcripts of the calls between Flynn and the ambassador.

The revelations were another destabilizing blow to an administration that has already suffered a major legal defeat on immigration, botched the implementation of a signature policy and stumbled through a string of embarrassing public relations missteps.

White House officials haven't said when Trump was told of the Justice Department warning or why Flynn had been allowed to stay on the job with access to a full range of intelligence materials.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a longtime Russia critic, said Congress needs to know what Flynn discussed with the ambassador and why.

"The idea that he did this on his own without any direction is a good question to ask," Graham added.

Pence and others, apparently relying on information from Flynn, had said the national security adviser did not discuss U.S. economic sanctions against Russia with the Russian envoy during the American presidential transition. Flynn later told officials the sanctions may have been discussed, the latest change in his account of his pre-inauguration discussions with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Such conversations would breach diplomatic protocol and possibly violate the Logan Act, a law aimed at keeping private citizens from conducting U.S. diplomacy. The Justice Department had warned the White House late last month that Flynn could be at risk for blackmail because of contradictions between his public depictions of the calls and what intelligence officials.

Asked whether the president had been aware that Flynn might have planned to discuss sanctions with the Russian envoy, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said, "No, absolutely not."

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Trump made the right decision in asking Flynn to step down.

"You cannot have the national security adviser misleading the vice president and others," Ryan said.

Trump, who has been conspicuously quiet about Flynn's standing for several days, took to Twitter Tuesday morning and said the "real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?" He ignored questions about Flynn from reporters during an education event at the White House Tuesday morning.

Trump named retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as the acting national security adviser. Kellogg had previously been appointed the National Security Council chief of staff and advised Trump during the campaign. Trump is also considering former CIA Director David Petraeus and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a U.S. Navy SEAL, for the post, according to a senior administration official.

Kellogg convened a brief meeting of the National Security Council staff Tuesday morning and urged them to continue with business as usual. Staffers have been told that Flynn's deputy, K.T. McFarland, a former Fox News analyst, is expected to stay at the White House.

A U.S. official told The Associated Press that Flynn was in frequent contact with Kislyak on the day the Obama administration slapped sanctions on Russia for election-related hacking, as well as at other times during the transition.

The officials and two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the Justice Department warnings on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The Washington Post was the first to report the communication between former acting attorney general Sally Yates, a holdover from the Obama administration, and the Trump White House. The Post also first reported last week that Flynn had indeed spoken about sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

Trump never voiced public support for Flynn after that initial report but continued to keep his national security adviser close. Flynn was part of Trump's daily briefing Monday and sat in on his calls with foreign leaders, as well as his discussions with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

posted February 14, 2017 03:58 PM            

quote:

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The revelations were another destabilizing blow to an administration that has already suffered a major legal defeat on immigration, botched the implementation of a signature policy and stumbled through a string of embarrassing public relations missteps.

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stay tuned!

posted February 14, 2017 10:59 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by juniperb:
stay tuned!

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It's all over twitter. People are calling for a new election, or for Hillary to take over.

posted February 14, 2017 11:34 PM            

Somebody whispering in your ear IQ?

The content of Flynn's conversation with the Russian Ambassador hasn't been released..not even to members of Congress.

So tell me IQ, why are you trying so hard to characterize what was said in that conversation?

I will tell you this IQ.

Whoever in the intelligence community leaked Flynn's name and any details of the conversation committed a federal felony offense punishable by a fine and up to 10 years in federal prison. Further, any other person, including reporters who receive classified information...and who don't have the proper security clearance to see or hear the classified information is bound BY LAW to immediately report to the FBI or Justice Dept that they have come into possession of classified information. Under no circumstances are they permitted to pass that classified information on to others..including readers of the Washington Post.

The leaker and the reporter should be indicted, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned for a good long time. Let's see what the Justice Dept...which is under competent management again...does to find the leaker and make sure he or she gets what they so richly deserve.

posted February 14, 2017 11:38 PM            

Right now CNN and other media outlets are on full attack about Russian Influence. Many Republicans are queasy about Putin's perceived influence.

IMHO, it would be patently unfair to call for a re-election/impeachment for such a Change Candidate like Trump. Economic Policy has not yet been laid out. Trump has to be given the full freedom to implement the economic miracle that he promised, if he botches this up, then politics will take its own course.

It would be Wise if he releases his tax records and quashes the rumors about Russian Investments once and for all. Media opponents would keep quiet for months if he releases his tax records.

Unless..., there is really something sinister in those hidden tax records.

posted February 14, 2017 11:47 PM            

My guess is that you're not going to get them.

It's also my guess that the morons who leaked classified information to reporter(s) just stirred up a hornets nest they're going to regret before this is all over.

posted February 15, 2017 02:35 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Randall:
A lot of reporters are going to jail if they don't reveal who leaked to them.

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posted February 15, 2017 06:58 PM            

what a difference a day makes.

As to important stuff..how are Arnold's ratings today? You know thst other celeb who tanked as a politician?

posted February 15, 2017 07:43 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Randall:
Leaking classified info is a felony. They should be prosecuted, but they will be offered the chance to reveal their source(s). Contempt is usually the charge, but in this case it will be much worse.

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He approved of leaks last year - when it benefited him.