Is it wrong that I am smiling?
When I saw that the Senate Intelligence Committee rejected Michael Flynn’s immunity request, I grinned from ear to ear.
For hours.
In fact, I think I am still smiling now.
Let me look in the mirror… yes! That *is* a smile I see!
Because every single thing about this development is good for the Blue Team.
It’s a clear sign that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence intends to demonstrate how men who know what they are doing handle this kind of thing.
Mark Warner and Richard Burr (sir) may as well have said to Devin Nunes: “Serious people play this game a different way. Watch and learn, kid. This is how we do it.”
The same crystal clear message has been sent to DJT/Bannon, neither of whom has any idea how Congress works, how investigations work, or what a starship can do.
Sorry, I've been watching a lot of StarTrek lately and one of the repeating themes is when a newcomer suddenly discovers that a starship run by highly competent people has capabilities that an inexperienced person may have never dreamed of.
The ship of state is not some skiff that any attention seeking schmo can step in and row perfectly right away, or even after 70 days. The U.S. government is much closer to being the flagship vessel in Starfleet, with intricacies you sometimes only discover by trial and error after years of service.
Now let’s consider some of reasons why they may have turned him down.
One possibility is that the proffer raised red flags.
In the proffer, Flynn would have to give them a preview of what he plans to tell them in the real testimony he wants immunity for.
He could have given them nondescript information that they did not feel was valuable enough to exchange for immunity. The Senate Intelligence Committee could be refusing immunity at this stage in an attempt to get Flynn to reveal juicier information or additional details.
Another more cynical possibility is that they didn’t trust him to stick to the information in the proffer. We’ve all seen Law and Order, where the witness says one thing in private and says something else in the public hearing/trial.
Common sense says this can go two ways. He can say one thing in private and say LESS in public. I am not a lawyer and don’t know how these things work if he tries to change his story and offer less information in the public hearing than he did in the private pre-testimony conversation. I assume they have some official record they can reference to prove he changed his story.
But wait. More likely is that they worry he would say one thing in private and MORE in public.
Huh? Why, you ask, would anyone do that?
Because if Flynn gets immunity, then falls on his sword and claims he did everything with no one helping him, then he gets to be the fall guy. Everyone else is off the hook, and it will be hard to explain to Jane and Joe Averagevoter why the investigation isn’t “over”.
This one makes a lot of sense. It smells the kind of thing DJT’s people would think up. “Hey, I’ve got an idea! Let’s get Flynn to agree to take the rap for all of us, request immunity, then say he did everything! Then we can claim the case is closed and he will have covered our butts.”
But the administration telegraphed their hand when DJT had such a bland reaction to the news.
When Flynn first requested immunity, lots of folks were expecting a flurry of rage tweets from DJT. Since he has been calling the whole Russia connection “fake news” why would Flynn need immunity? Both men said on the campaign trail that people only ask for and get immunity when they have done something wrong. Doesn’t Flynn asking for immunity prove that he and others did something wrong and he wants immunity in order to admit to it?
In he face of that news, it was completely out of character for DJT to respond by saying yeah, sure, no problem. Flynn *should* ask for immunity!
I am long past expecting consistency from DJT. I wonder sometimes if he even remembers what he said yesterday, much less last month or last year.
Under this fall guy plan, the only way DJT could be so sure that Flynn (with immunity) would say nothing to implicate him, is if he had some idea (or pre-plan) that Flynn’s testimony would lead the investigation in a direction away from him.
Then they would have created the perfect talking point for themselves: Flynn did it all, and he has confessed, just as the National Enquirer has already reported! Why are you are still asking questions about other members of the campaign? At some point you have to take yes for an answer!
Fortunately, the people on the Senate Intelligence Committee, this is not their first rodeo.
They rejected the immunity request.
They have upped the ante.
Ball’s back in your court, DJT team. Do you have a clue what happens now?
The most intriguing possibility of all is that the Senate Intelligence Committee is trying to flush larger prey out of the bushes. Maybe Flynn is small potatoes for them. Maybe Flynn only offered to give up Manafort, or someone against whom they have already built a strong case. They want more substantial information. Denying immunity to Flynn is the way to get it.
Either Flynn knows more, and he will offer it to get the deal.
Or someone else knows more, and was kicking himself for not asking for immunity first, but now sees he has been given a second chance.
Even the political neophytes in the DJT administration know that the first to make the deal usually gets the best deal. If the rats are not yet deserting the sinking ship they are standing on the desk considering their options. Flynn’s immunity request being rejected may make one of them sit up and take notice. Hmmm, Flynn didn’t get a deal, maybe that is because they want more than he can tell or is willing to tell. So if I offer to testify with what *I* know, perhaps I can get the deal they would have promised to Flynn!
We only need one person to break the logjam. Just one. And rumors that Republicons in Congress will start clamoring to go directly after DJT once his approval numbers sink 5% lower are schadenfreudelicious rumors indeed.
So.
Either Flynn didn’t give them enough in the pre-testimony and the Senate intelligence committee is trying to strong-arm him to tell more before they will give him immunity.
Or they are indicating that they do not trust him to stick to the pre-testimony and want additional assurance that he will not try to take additional blame on himself in order to protect others.
Or they are trying to see if denying immunity to Flynn will cause someone with more substantial information to come forward.
All three of those possibilities are good for the Blue Team, and right now I can’t think of any other reason why Flynn’s request for immunity would have been denied.
Can you?
Maybe I misjudged Richard Burr. He has certainly surprised me by showing old school professional respect for ranking member Mark Warner, and appears to be committed to returning to the bipartisan tradition of Congressional Intelligence Committees that existed before the Republicon party lost its mind. So far he is being fairer in chairing the Senate intelligence Committee investigation than Nunes has been with the House Intelligence Committee.
Admittedly, that is a very low bar.
let’s flip the track, bring the old school back
PREVIOUS TRUE BLUE REPORT diaries
Mar 30: Special Assistant Ivanka—every word she says from now on is a DJT advertising ploy
Mar 29: “It’s just that valuable” — do you know the MAIN reasons Ryan wants to pass the AHCA?
Mar 28: Nipping at their heels
Mar 27: In cheering Republicon failures, think like a surgeon
Mar 26: Dare we hope the tide is turning? Or is that unrealistically optimistic?
Mar 25: Sheldon Whitehouse, Al Franken, Bobby Brooks, Betsy Anderson, ACA phone callers
Mar 24: HaHaHa-Ha-Ha You’re gonna need Congressional approval and you don’t have the votes
Mar 23: Rcons hate Obamacare for selfish, greedy, racist reasons, but not enough to fix it.
Mar 22: Neil Gorsuch’s attempt to seem wide-eyed and innocent makes him look even worse
Mar 21: Using Trump as a bad example—no Trump Sleep, Trump Food or other Trump habits
Mar 20: Is DJT a compulsive liar, or out of touch with reality? Five scenarios...
Mar 19: A budget is a moral document—a statement of public compassion
Mar 18: Ribbons: CBO scorers, Senate Intelligence Committee, Judge Derrick Watson
Mar 17: They know DJT is lying. Here’s one sad reason they follow him anyway.
Mar 16: Mick Mulvaney's ignorant, callous, evil, Republicon definition of compassion
Mar 15: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points re DJT 2005 tax return
Mar 14: Message Discipline 101—Pushback against Rcon talking points about Obamacare repeal
Mar 13: Culture, Civilization, Rural America, Working Families—the missing word is a “tell”
Mar 12: The Rcon definition of Christians is as wrong as the Rcon definition of Democrats.
Mar 11: Ribbons: A Day Without a Woman, Native Nations Rise, Voting Rights Act still lives
Mar 10: How to talk to people who have trouble understanding actions have consequences
Mar 9: Where’s the fire? The real reason Rs are trying to rush TrumpCare through Congress
Mar 8: Message Discipline 101: TrumpCare, RyanCare, GOPCare, DonTCare—what’s in a name?
Mar 7: How very hard it is for a woman to go a day without paid (or unpaid) work
Mar 6: Can DJT really be stumbling into the exact investigation we want?
Mar 5: How is it even possible that deplorables see a man of faith when they look at DJT?
Mar 4: Blue Ribbon Winners—Chris Hayes, Malcolm Nance, Cierra Fields
Mar 3: I’m glad Bannon, Conway, Carson, Sessions, Miller, et al. are in the DJT Administration
Mar 2: “In every major fire it always starts with smoke. And smoke is what kills you.”
Mar 1: Am I the only one whose skin crawled at the Carryn Owens BIRGing moment?
FEBRUARY
Feb 28: Spinspotting 101: Special Prosecutor for what? It’s so easy to answer that question
Feb 27: Spinspotting 101: I’ve seen no evidence because I haven’t looked for any evidence!
Feb 26: If Neil Gorsuch were a man of integrity, he would decline the S.Ct. appointment
Feb 25: True Blue Ribbons: Russia Flag trolling, Dixie Swastika grabbing, District Days demonstrating
Feb 24: There is no such thing as a compassionate conservative
Feb 23: Chief of Staff, Nat’l Security Advisor, GOP Head, President Bannon—too many hats!
Feb 22: DJT has a few questions for you—SMURF THIS POLL!
Feb 21: The end of “access journalism” means it’s time to #sendtheinterns
Feb 20: KAC lying low for now… can we banish her (and all her ilk) from the airwaves completely?
Feb 19: DeVos cartoon, Ruby Bridges, unearned unhappiness and childlike faith
Feb 18: Blue Ribbon Winners—Vice Adm. Harward, Melissa McCarthy, and intel whistleblowers
Feb 17: And Ain’t I an American?
Feb 16: Please tell your family and friends—If you regret your DJT vote, speak up NOW
Feb 15: R-supported forced childbirth laws deny the autonomy of women
Feb 14: What did the president know? Everything. When did he know it? From the beginning.
Feb 13: Coping with The Madness of King Donald by hoping political comedy will save us
Feb 12: The Poverty and Justice Bible
Feb 11: Blue Ribbon Winners—Swastika removers, Ninth Circuit Panel, and the Persisterhood!
Feb 10: The first three words of the Constitution are “We, the People” not “I, the President”
Feb 9: Who first inspired your political activism? Who inspires you now?
Feb 8: We cannot and will not be silenced—Here’s what to do if they try to silence you
Feb 7: Plain Talk Tuesday: Tell people the Affordable Care Act is the same as OBAMACARE
Feb 6: Interview Skills 101—Internalized oppression and what Ryan Lizza did right. BRAVO!
Feb 5: These protest signs with Bible cites will confuse and befuddle RWNJs
Feb 4: Blue Ribbon Winners—Temple B’Nai Israel, Judge Robart, CNN, Senate Phone Callers
Feb 3: Not rich, not smart, not a good businessman, not a winner—DJT is NOTHING he claims to be
Feb 2: Thursday action—Encouragement, thanks, and apologies (pick one or more)
Feb 1: July 7, 2009 to August 25, 2009 and September 25, 2009 to February 4, 2010
JANUARY
Jan 31: If you’re on overload that’s part of their plan—there’s more than one way to #resist
Jan 30: Interview Skills 101 for reporters attempting to interview KAC and other Rcons
Jan 29: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness
Jan 28: Blue Ribbon Winners—Women's March participants and #NoMuslimBan demonstrators and...
Jan 27: I wish Steve Bannon would tell me to keep my mouth shut
Jan 26: Thursday Action—Have you ever written a letter to the editor? Here’s how to start
Jan 25: The Asch Conformity Study, inauguration crowds, and the importance of speaking out
Jan 24: #ResistTrumpTuesday—good news day or another paying dues day?
Jan 23: Spy the Lie 101: How to enjoy watching Rcon spokesbot interviews, even KAC!
Jan 22: Why I prayed for the President* today
Jan 21: The only silver lining in the midst of these clouds
Inaugural (!) diary: Stop expecting Republicons to make sense