Jeanne Pirro had anticipated that Flynn’s guilty plea would be tossed out and the Trump Administration exonerated.
Here’s Judge Jeanine this weekend saying Flynn was set up and praising Judge Emmett Sullivan as someone “unafraid of the swamp.” She even speculated the judge could toss out the guilty plea and let Flynn walk …….. not so much as it turns out. pic.twitter.com/CbhSctbuV6
— David Mack (@davidmackau) December 18, 2018
At Flynn’s sentencing, Sullivan made a point of making sure that Flynn stated (and restated) that he lied to the FBI, that he knew it was wrong to do so and that he accepted responsibility. Sullivan asked Flynn whether he knew that lying to the FBI was illegal, and Flynn said, “I was aware.†The judge gave Flynn several chances to withdraw his guilty plea, and Flynn opted to proceed.
Then Sullivan went big. “Arguably, you sold your country out,†he told Flynn, adding: “I’m not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense.†He even invoked treason, asking the government whether they considered such a charge. (The government said it had not.) Sullivan suggested Flynn was working as a foreign agent while serving in the White House — a claim which he later backed off.
Judge Jeanine had praised Sullivan as a man who does not tolerate injustice. I guess not. Sullivan also made it clear he wasn’t buying the claim that Flynn had been “entrapped.” Merry Christmas.
Judge Sullivan gave Mr. Flynn the option of delaying the sentencing until he had completed his cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors. “I cannot assure that if you proceed today you will not receive a sentence of incarceration,†Judge Sullivan told Mr. Flynn.
After a short recess, Mr. Flynn returned to the courtroom to take the judge up on his offer.
Mr. Flynn faces up to six months in prison, but federal prosecutors have recommended a lenient sentence, including the possibility of probation, because Mr. Flynn has provided “substantial help†with multiple criminal inquiries.
" Sullivan suggested Flynn was working as a foreign agent while serving in the White House — a claim which he later backed off."
It's obvious that the Judge see's this whole Flynn deal is just a slow motion cover-up by Mueller's team. To me Mueller is trying to sweep Flynn's crimes under the rug for some reason? The judge saw that he was supposed to go along with giving a man who lied to the FBI and was double-dealing with at least two foreign governments while serving as the National Security Director a slap on the wrist, the Judge said f#ck that, I say good for him, Flynn should be in jail.
“Sullivan suggested Flynn was working as a foreign agent while serving in the White House — a claim which he later backed off.”
Why did the judge back off?
That is exactly what happened.
uncledad – I completely agree that Flynn is getting exactly the sentencing request that Trump asked for : "go easy on Flynn". It's a sweet deal as part of a negotiation for information Flynn offered, presumably backed up with evidence at least as valuable as the cushy deal Flynn got.
What was it? Could anything be so potent that Mueller would decide not to chage Flynn with much more significant crimes? I don't know and neither do you. Allow me to speculate based on the evidence and instructions Flymm might reasonalbly have recieved.
Trump was working on Trump Tower Moscow up until the general election if Rudy can be believed. Flynn was potentially in the loop with the Kremlin about what they wanted (sanctions dropped) and if Flynn was in the know about the business deal that was the quid in exchange for the pro, we could have Trump cold for selling foreign policy w/ Moscow in exchange for a tall building of great value.
If Flynn knows that Trump is guilty and Flynn can provide testimony AND evidence that Trump was doing with Russia on a huge scale what Flynn did for a half-million with Turkey, I have no problem with letting Flynn take a walk on prison time.
Barbara, Flynn should get significant jail time regardless of the prosecution's request. The judge is right to be pissed.
On another note. This was on Lawrence O'Donnell last night and it horrifies me, especially since the worst part of it wasn't even mentioned on news reports that showed the video, AFAIK. They are PRINTING NUMBERS ON THE ARMS OF CHILDREN. ICE Is doing this and it horrifies me. Just seeing the video gave me cold chills. This should horrify any thinking American who understands history, because another horrific government also put numbers on the arms of children as they took them to detention camps and it didn't end well.
This should be leading every newscast, not ignored.
https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/exclusive-trump-admin-making-seeking-asylum-even-harder-1400667203966
To FOX's Pirro:
A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Crap!
I think I might have pooped in my sweatpants!
Tom Elliot,
I was also beyond pissed when I heard that!
But then I read – and checked – that it was not OUR government doing it, but Mexico's.
I know:
Stephen Miller is jealous and livid that he didn't think of that first!!!
. “I cannot assure that if you proceed today you will not receive a sentence of incarceration,” Judge Sullivan told Mr. Flynn.
I'll give credit to Flynn for being able to read between the lines. Who says you can lead a horse to water, but can't make him drink?
Stephen Miller's spray on hair reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Cosmo Kramer tried marketing his suit in a bag..except Miller is using hair in a can.
Doug: " Could anything be so potent that Mueller would decide not to chage Flynn with much more significant crimes "
I've have thought from the jump that Trump is never going to be held to account, republican politicians have been white collar criminals since I've been alive. Trump's problem is he just can't keep his d!ck in his pants or keep mouth shut, that is the real issue here. I think today's courtroom drama shows that Mueller is looking to wind this thing down with the least amount of disruption as possible (all the rich white guys walk). This judge Sullivan, he sees what is going on. We'll see how it plays out but I think Flynn is getting the deal because he's part of the team not because he's trying to bring the team down.
Flynn stopped working for Turkey before the inauguration. FWIW.
A key person in Watergate was Judge Sirica, a tough, no nonsense judge who got James McCord to open up. Flynn is already cooperating, so Judge Sullivan does not play the same role, but emotionally he has a similar appeal.
Let's talk Turkey here. The rule is It's OK if Your a Republican. I can't quite remember but it is usually done IOKIYAR as best as my feeble synapses can do for me right now. Now we have an exception to the rule. So on rare occasions it's not IOKIYAR. Is that because of Turkey and the involvement of Turkey?
No one wants to talk Turkey. It is hard to find a soul who knows a thing about Turkey. The cleric Fethullah Gulen's (there is an umlaut over the u) name gets mentioned in the news at times, but no one pays attention. Turkey wants him back, but my guess is he will die in Pennsylvania where he has stayed for almost two decades. Erdogan (he has a different doohickey over the o), the current despotic leader of Turkey has plans for him that may involve a bone saw.
Anyway lots of money has sloshed around in Turkey, and money tends to attract Republicans. So maybe IOIYAR still holds but you have to file the proper paperwork before filling your pockets with money from Turkey. It just gets so complicated.
So they really believe their own bullshit?
Joseph: I only know that Trump believes his own BS. When a person lies all the time, it is impossible to remember what he said in a particular situation, so he just makes up his own truth. After awhile, to preserve his sanity (in his eyes) he invents this belief that he is incapable of lying, that only his gut can be relied on and that is how he makes decisions. Whatever he gets relying on his gut cannot be a lie because he is infallible. It is amazing what humans can do with their minds to get out of trouble. Add to that Trump is getting old and the faculties do begin to fade with age. So the delusion worsens.
Watch Trump closely: You will notice that he folds his arms a lot in an interview situation. This is a closed defensive posture. The experts tell us that only about 20% of communication is verbal. Most is body language. This is one reason animals are so good at reading our intentions, they are experts at body language. Also, look at the skin under Trump's eyes. It is puffy and dark. In Chinese medicine, this means an imbalance in the kidney meridian which rules water. The emotion fear is also associated with the kidneys. Although Chinese medicine is expressed as energy, if not addressed eventually becomes physical. Even though he is still walking around in his 70s and probably has good genetics, he is not a healthy individual. How much stress can he endure?