Trump’s ex-security adviser Michael Flynn sentencing delayed

December 18, 2018

The sentencing of Michael Flynn, US President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, has been delayed until March 2019. Flynn’s lawyers requested a postponement in the sentencing hearing.

In court on Tuesday, Flynn stood by his 2017 guilty plea of lying to the FBI. District Judge Emmet Sullivan warned he could be imprisoned and slammed the retired Army lieutenant general.

“I can’t hide my disgust, my disdain,” Sullivan said. “Arguably you sold your country out.”

The judge agreed to the postponement so that Flynn could continue cooperating with the special counsel’s Russia probe and get credit for it in his punishment, something he might not get if he were sentenced as scheduled on Tuesday.

Delayed sentencing

Despite the judge’s tongue-lashing, prosecutors had recommended leniency for Flynn, citing his cooperation in the Russia investigation.

Flynn had pleaded guilty last year to making false statements to the FBI about conversations he had with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, which pertained to Obama administration sanctions on Moscow and a United Nations Security Council vote on Israeli settlements.

Read more: ‘No secrets’ in meetings with ex-US adviser Michael Flynn

Flynn was sacked by the White House for misleading Vice President Mike Pence, who led the transition team, about those conversations.

The fall of Michael Cohen

Take a bullet for Trump

For years, Michael Cohen described himself as being staunchly loyal to President Trump, going as far as saying that he would “take a bullet” for him. But according to The New York Times, Trump treated Cohen “poorly, with gratuitous insults, dismissive statements and, at least twice, threats of being fired.”

The fall of Michael Cohen

Hush money

In February, Cohen (middle) admitted to paying $130,000 (about €112,000) to porn star Stormy Daniels (right) to keep quiet about an affair she had with Trump (right). Prosecutors had been trying to ascertain whether Cohen violated any campaign-finance laws by making the payment ahead of 2016 election.

The fall of Michael Cohen

FBI raid

In April, FBI agents raided Cohen’s office, apartment and hotel room on a referral from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in swaying the 2016 presidential election. They took away millions of electronic files from his various devices and reams of documents, including pieces of paper from a shredder.

The fall of Michael Cohen

You’re fired!

In June, Trump said Cohen was no longer his attorney, adding that he hadn’t spoken to him in a long time. Trump’s new attorney Rudy Giuliani had said earlier that Cohen was not representing the US president after the FBI raids on his home and office.

The fall of Michael Cohen

Public break up

In July, Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, released a secret audio recording in which Trump was seemingly heard admitting to knowledge of a hush-money payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had an affair with him. It was Cohen, who had made the recording that Trump said was “perhaps illegal.”

The fall of Michael Cohen

Plea deal

On Tuesday, Trump’s former fixer entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to tax and bank fraud charges and campaign finance violations.

Author: Ashutosh Pandey

Credit where credit’s due

Most judges prefer to sentence cooperating defendants after their cooperation has finished, so the help given may be fully evaluated.

Sullivan said on Tuesday that he would take into consideration Flynn’s meetings with investigators and 33-year military career that included service in Iraq and Afghanistan, but would also need to factor in his decision as national security adviser to lie to the FBI.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

2013: Mr Trump goes to Russia

June 18, 2013. Donald Trump tweeted: “The Miss Universe Pageant will be broadcast live from MOSCOW, RUSSIA on November 9. A big deal that will bring our countries together!” He later added: “Do you think Putin will be going – if so, will he become my new best friend?” October 17, 2013 Trump tells chat show host David Letterman he has conducted “a lot of business with the Russians.”

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

September 2015: Hacking allegations raised

An FBI agent told a tech-support contractor at the Democratic National Committee it may have been hacked. On May 18, 2016, James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, said there were “some indications” of cyberattacks aimed at the presidential campaigns. On June 14, 2016 the DNC announced it had been the victim of an attack by Russian hackers.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

July 20, 2016: Mr Kislyak enters the picture

Senator Jeff Sessions – an early Trump endorser who led his national security advisory committee – met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and a group of other ambassadors at a Republican National Convention event.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

July 22, 2016: Assange thickens the plot

Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks published 20,000 emails stolen from the DNC, appearing to show a preference for Hillary Clinton over Senator Bernie Sanders.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

July 25, 2016: Cometh the hour, Comey the man

The FBI announced it was investigating the DNC hack saying “a compromise of this nature is something we take very seriously.”

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

November 8, 2016: Trump elected

Donald Trump is elected president of the United States. On November 9, the Russian parliament burst into applause at the news.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

November 10, 2016: Team Trump denies Russia link

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Rybakov said there “were contacts” between the Russian government and the Trump campaign during the election campaign. The Trump campaign issued a firm denial.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

November 18, 2016: Flynn appointed

Trump named General Michael Flynn as his national security adviser. The former Defence Intelligence Agency chief was a top foreign policy adviser in Trump’s campaign. Flynn resigned in February after failing to disclose full details of his communication with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

January 26, 2017: Yates – ‘The center cannot hold’

Acting attorney general Sally Yates told White House counsel Don McGahn that Flynn made false statements regarding his calls with Kislyak. On January 30 Trump fired Yates for refusing to enforce his travel ban, which was later blocked by federal courts.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

March 2, 2017: Sessions recuses himself

Trump said he had “total confidence” in Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

March 20, 2017: FBI examines Trump-Kremlin links

FBI Director James Comey confirmed before the House Select Committee on Intelligence that the FBI was investigating possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

May 9, 2017: Trump sacks Comey

In a letter announcing the termination, Trump wrote: “While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau.”

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

May 17, 2017: Mueller appointed special counsel

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to look into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

August 2017: FBI seizes documents from Manafort

Shortly after Mueller convenes a grand jury for the investigation, the FBI seizes documents from one of Paul Manafort’s properties as part of a raid for Mueller’s probe. The former Trump campaigner manager stepped down in August 2016 after allegations surfaced that he had received large payments linked to Ukraine’s former pro-Russian government.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

September 2017: Trump Jr.’s talks to Senate committee

Donald Trump Jr. tells the Senate Judiciary Committee he has not colluded with a foreign government. The closed-door interview relates to his June 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, which was also attended by his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then campaign manager Paul Manafort. Trump Jr.’s emails, however, suggest the meeting was supposed to produce dirt on Clinton.

How Donald Trump’s Russian connection unfolded

October 2017: Internet giants allege Russian interference

Facebook, Twitter and Google reportedly tell US media they have evidence that Russian operatives exploited platforms to spread disinformation during the 2016 US presidential election. The three companies are expected to appear before a Senate Intelligence Committee in November.

Author: Jo Harper, Kathleen Schuster