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Why was Flynn fired?
Yeah but ...
Why was Flynn fired? … Trump doesn’t care about, nor respect, the FBI.
Jan 27, 2019 - President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, believed that the “Russia thing” would end as a side effect from the firing of the national ...
Why was Flynn fired? Really?
Dec. 29, 2016: Obama administration imposes sanctions on Russia
The Obama administration responds to Russia’s interference in the U.S. election by issuing sanctions and ejecting Russian diplomats. (New York Times)
Dec. 29, 2016: Flynn reportedly speaks with Russian ambassador about sanctions
Flynn speaks with Kislyak, marking at least the fourth time that month they communicated. (Washington Post). In February it is reported that Flynn and Kislyak discussed sanctions on this day.
Dec. 30, 2016: Putin announces Russia would not retaliate; Trump praises decision
[...]
Later that day, Trump praises Putin’s decision over Twitter:
Jan. 2, 2017: Obama administration learns of Flynn’s Dec. 29 conversations with Kislyak (New York Times)
[...]
Jan. 14, 2017: Flynn tells Pence he had not discussed sanctions with Kislyak (New York Times)
Jan. 15, 2017: Pence, Priebus appear on Sunday shows claiming Flynn did not discuss sanctions or expulsion of Russian diplomats with Kislyak (Face the Nation, Meet the Press)
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Timeline of Michael Flynn's turn, from Trump aide to Mueller witness — Politifact.com
Why was Flynn fired? (according to Mueller)
The Mueller Timeline shows the Trump Transition Team was calling the shots on that Russian Sanctions deal, long before Trump-Elect ever took office:
[Volume I of II — pgs 168 - 173] {emphasis added}
b. U.S. Sanctions Against Russia
Flynn was also the Transition Team member who spoke with the Russian government when the Obama Administration imposed sanctions and other measures against Russia in response to Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. On December 28, 2016, then-President Obama signed Executive Order 13757, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. the following day and imposed sanctions on nine Russian individuals and entities.[1222] On December 29, 2016, the Obama Administration also expelled 35 Russian government officials and closed two Russian government-owned compounds in the United States.[1223]
During the rollout of the sanctions, President-Elect Trump and multiple Transition Team senior officials, including McFarland, Steve Bannon, and Reince Priebus, were staying at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Flynn was on vacation in the Dominican Republic,[1224] but was in daily contact with McFarland.[1225]
The Transition Team and President-Elect Trump were concerned that these sanctions would harm the United States's relationship with Russia.[1226] Although the details and timing of sanctions were unknown on December 28, 2016, the media began reporting that retaliatory measures from the Obama Administration against Russia were forthcoming.[1227] When asked about imposing sanctions on Russia for its alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, President-Elect Trump told the media, "I think we ought to get on with our lives."[1228]
Russia initiated the outreach to the Transition Team. On the evening of December 28, 2016, Kislyak texted Flynn, "can you kindly call me back at your convenience."[1229] Flynn did not respond to the text message that evening. Someone from the Russian Embassy also called Flynn the next morning, at 10:38 a.m., but they did not talk.[1230]
The sanctions were announced publicly on December 29, 2016.[1231] At 1:53 p.m. that day, McFarland began exchanging emails with multiple Transition Team members and advisors about the impact the sanctions would have on the incoming Administration.[1232] At 2:07 p.m., a Transition Team member texted Flynn a link to a New York Times article about the sanctions.[1233] At 2:29 p.m., McFarland called Flynn, but they did not talk.[1234] Shortly thereafter, McFarland and Bannon discussed the sanctions.[1235] According to McFarland, Bannon remarked that the sanctions would hurt their ability to have good relations with Russia, and that Russian escalation would make things more difficult.[1236] McFarland believed she told Bannon that Flynn was scheduled to talk to Kislyak later that night.[1237] McFarland also believed she may have discussed the sanctions with Priebus, and likewise told him that Flynn was scheduled to talk to Kislyak that night.[1238] At 3:14 p.m., Flynn texted a Transition Team member who was assisting McFarland, "Time for a call???"[1239] The Transition Team member responded that McFarland was on the phone with Tom Bossert, a Transition Team senior official, to which Flynn responded, "Tit for tat w Russia not good. Russian AMBO reaching out to me today."[1240]
Flynn recalled that he chose not to communicate with Kislyak about the sanctions until he had heard from the team at Mar-a-Lago.[1241] He first spoke with Michael Ledeen,[1242] a Transition Team member who advised on foreign policy and national security matters, for 20 minutes.[1243] Flynn then spoke with McFarland for almost 20 minutes to discuss what, if anything, to communicate to Kislyak about the sanctions.[1244] On that call, McFarland and Flynn discussed the sanctions, including their potential impact on the incoming Trump Administration's foreign policy goals.[1245] McFarland and Flynn also discussed that Transition Team members in Mar-a-Lago did not want Russia to escalate the situation.[1246] They both understood that Flynn would relay a message to Kislyak in hopes of making sure the situation would not get out of hand.[1247]
Immediately after speaking with McFarland, Flynn called and spoke with Kislyak.[1248] Flynn discussed multiple topics with Kislyak, including the sanctions, scheduling a video teleconference between President-Elect Trump and Putin, an upcoming terrorism conference, and Russia's views about the Middle East.[1249] With respect to the sanctions, Flynn requested that Russia not escalate the situation, not get into a "tit for tat," and only respond to the sanctions in a reciprocal manner.[1250]
Multiple Transition Team members were aware that Flynn was speaking with Kislyak that day. In addition to her conversations with Bannon and Reince Priebus, at 4:43 p.m., McFarland sent an email to Transition Team members about the sanctions, informing the group that "Gen [F]lynn is talking to russian ambassador this evening."[1251] Less than an hour later, McFarland briefed President-Elect Trump. Bannon, Priebus, Sean Spicer, and other Transition Team members were present.[1252] During the briefing, President-Elect Trump asked McFarland if the Russians did "it," meaning the intrusions intended to influence the presidential election.[1253] McFarland said yes, and President-Elect Trump expressed doubt that it was the Russians.[1254] McFarland also discussed potential Russian responses to the sanctions, and said Russia's response would be an indicator of what the Russians wanted going forward.[1255] President-Elect Trump opined that the sanctions provided him with leverage to use with the Russians.[1256] McFarland recalled that at the end of the meeting, someone may have mentioned to President-Elect Trump that Flynn was speaking to the Russian ambassador that evening.[1257]
After the briefing, Flynn and McFarland spoke over the phone.[1258] Flynn reported on the substance of his call with Kislyak, including their discussion of the sanctions.[1259] According to McFarland, Flynn mentioned that the Russian response to the sanctions was not going to be escalatory because they wanted a good relationship with the incoming Administration.[1260] McFarland also gave Flynn a summary of her recent briefing with President-Elect Trump.[1261]
The next day, December 30, 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarked that Russia would respond in kind to the sanctions.[1262] Putin superseded that comment two hours later, releasing a statement that Russia would not take retaliatory measures in response to the sanctions at that time.[1263] Hours later President-Elect Trump tweeted, "Great move on delay (by V. Putin)."[1264] Shortly thereafter, Flynn sent a text message to McFarland summarizing his call with Kislyak from the day before, which she emailed to Kushner, Bannon, Priebus, and other Transition Team members.[1265] The text message and email did not include sanctions as one of the topics discussed with Kislyak.[1266] Flynn told the Office that he did not document his discussion of sanctions because it could be perceived as getting in the way of the Obama Administration's foreign policy.[1267]
On December 31, 2016, Kislyak called Flynn and told him the request had been received at the highest levels and that Russia had chosen not to retaliate to the sanctions in response to the request.[1268] Two hours later, Flynn spoke with McFarland and relayed his conversation with Kislyak.[1269] According to McFarland, Flynn remarked that the Russians wanted a better relationship and that the relationship was back on track. [1270] Flynn also told McFarland that he believed his phone call had made a difference.[1271] McFarland recalled congratulating Flynn in response.[1272] Flynn spoke with other Transition Team members that day, but does not recall whether they discussed the sanctions.[1273] Flynn recalled discussing the sanctions with Bannon the next day and that Bannon appeared to know about Flynn's conversation with Kislyak.[1274] Bannon, for his part, recalled meeting with Flynn that day, but said that he did not remember discussing sanctions with him.[1275]
Additional information about Flynn's sanctions-related discussions with Kislyak, and the handling of those discussions by the Transition Team and the Trump Administration, is provided in Volume II of this report.
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Questions for Mueller:
1) Since Mike Pence was the head of the Transition Team, wouldn’t an email addressed to the Transition Team have informed the VP-elect, of Flynn’s back-channel deal with Kislyak? (So where’s the lie?)
McFarland sent an email to Transition Team members about the sanctions, informing the group that "Gen [F]lynn is talking to russian ambassador this evening."
2) Since Donald Trump, congratulated Putin on his ‘wise restraint’, and since Trump was likely aware of the Flynn back-channel deal with Kislyak — wasn’t Trump conducting Foreign Policy without the requisite authority?
McFarland recalled that at the end of the meeting, someone may have mentioned to President-Elect Trump that Flynn was speaking to the Russian ambassador that evening.[1257]
3) Shouldn’t other members of the Transition Team have been fired too, and perhaps indicted, for conspiring with Russia — in direct opposition with the current duly authorized President?
Shortly thereafter, Flynn sent a text message to McFarland summarizing his call with Kislyak from the day before, which she emailed to Kushner, Bannon, Priebus, and other Transition Team members.[1265]
4) With all things being equal … and with Mike Pence appearing “on Sunday shows claiming Flynn did not discuss sanctions or expulsion of Russian diplomats with Kislyak” — is it more likely that Pence was lying about what his Transition Team was doing … Or that everyone on the Team knew, with the lone exception of Pence?
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5) Is it a fact of Law, or merely an old wife’s tale, that in America “we only have 1 President at a time”?
The American people are anxiously awaiting your clarifications Mr Mueller, on this and many other pressing legal matters, that we can no longer assume to be givens, in this misappropriated “American experiment” of treating our Laws, as if they don’t really matter for a certain Individual One.
As if the Constitution and all its subsequent legal precedents — never even happened, since Donald Trump came to town.
Given that your report documents this “age of Lawlessness” beginning by several weeks BEFORE Donald Trump’s Inauguration — if the Michael Flynn’s 2016 “errand-boy” Timeline is to be any guide.
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