Michael Flynn, the Robert Mueller investigation, and the Trump campaign

Robert Mueller's probe into allegations that the Michael Flynn was a conduit for the Trump campaign in colluding with Russia could shake the foundations of the White House and possibly reveal how the democratic process was subverted, and the office of the President, compromised.

December 04, 2017 09:12 am | Updated December 01, 2021 06:36 am IST

 FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by (L-R), Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Vice President Mike Pence, senior advisor Steve Bannon, Communications Director Sean Spicer and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by (L-R), Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Vice President Mike Pence, senior advisor Steve Bannon, Communications Director Sean Spicer and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House.

On Friday, former United States National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI while he was part of the Trump administration. He was accused by prosecutors of “willfully and knowingly” lying about having contacted a Russian diplomat.

Flynn is the highest ranking official to face charges in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into meddling by the Russian state in the 2016 Presidential elections. The Trump presidency has been consistently rocked by scandal, fuelled by the business magnate-turned-politician's contrarian views on policy issues, usually articulated in flippant language on Twitter, showing scant regard for protocol or propriety.

Robert Mueller's probe into allegations that the Michael Flynn was a conduit for the Trump campaign in colluding with Russia could shake the foundations of the White House and possibly reveal how the democratic process was subverted, and the office of the President, compromised. By getting a former aide to plead guilty could take the investigation ever closer to the doors of the Oval Office.     

 Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump, leaves following his plea hearing at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse December 1, 2017 in Washington, DC. Special Counsel Robert Mueller charged Flynn with one count of making a false statement to the FBI.

Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump, leaves following his plea hearing at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse December 1, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Michael Flynn served in the United States Army from 1981 till his retirement as Lieutenant General in 2014. He has toured Iraq and Afghanistan and was involved in counterterrorism and intelligence gathering. Flynn then joined the Trump campaign as a foreign policy advisor and was instrumental in formulating the winning strategy behind the election of America's 45th President.

 

He was then appointed National Security Advisor after Donald Trump took office but his tenure was short lived as he was unceremoniously forced out after 24 days since taking charge. Trump initially came to the defence of his advisor, but his hand was forced after it emerged that Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence on the issue of his contacts with Russian officials.

However, it must be noted that he has been charged with the single count of lying to federal agencies over having been in touch with the Russian ambassador to the United States in the transition period before President-elect Donald Trump assumed office, and not during the campaign. 

Here is a timeline of events from the run-up to the elections, and the progress of Robert Mueller's investigation.

2016

December 21 - A resolution was submitted by Egypt in the United Nations Security Council condemning the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

December 22 - Trump's son-in-law and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner instructs Michael Flynn to contact foreign governments, including Russia, to influence those countries into voting against the resolution. Flynn contacted Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak regarding the vote. The Security Council ultimately adopted the resolution 14-0, with the U.S. abstaining.

Trump was opposed to the U.N. resolution and had tweeted on the morning of the vote that it should be vetoed. President Obama, who was in the last days of his presidency, made the decision that the U.S. would abstain.

 

December 29 - Obama signs an order imposing sanctions on Russia for interfering in the 2016 elections. The Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak calls Flynn to remonstrate.

December 30 - Russia responds in kind by announcing that 35 diplomats currently serving in the country would be declared persona non grata. Flynn speaks with Kislyak over the possibility of rolling back sanctions after Trump is sworn into office. This communication was monitored by intelligence agencies and is part of the evidence incriminating Flynn.

Russian President Vladimir Putin plays down the sanctions, saying “although we have the right to retaliate, we will not resort to irresponsible ‘kitchen’ diplomacy but will plan our further steps to restore Russian-US relations based on the policies of the Trump Administration.” Trump tweets his appreciation.

 

 

2017

 US President Donald Trump takes the oath of office as his wife Melania holds the bible and his children Barron, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany watch on.

US President Donald Trump takes the oath of office as his wife Melania holds the bible and his children Barron, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany watch as US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (R) administers the oath during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 20, 2017.

January 20 - Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

January 23 - In his first interaction with the media, White House press secretary Sean Spicer is questioned about Flynn's interaction with Kislyak. He admits to Flynn being in touch with the Russian ambassador but insisted that in the "single call" that they had exchanged, the topic of conversation never strayed to politics, and was merely an exchange of pleasantries before Christmas.

January 24 - Flynn is questioned by FBI agents. (He now admits to lying in that interview)

 File photo: White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn walks along the West Wing colonnade at the White House in Washington, DC.

Former U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn departs after a plea hearing at U.S. District Court, in Washington, U.S., December 1, 2017.

January 26 - Acting Attorney General Sally Yates informs White House counsel Don McGahn that based on evidence garnered by intelligence officials, sanctions were discussed by Flynn in his communication with Kislyak. She suggests that Vice President Mike Pence and other White House insiders ought to be kept in the loop since in defending Flynn, they were conveying the wrong message to the American public.

January 27 - McGahn invites Yates to the White House for further consultation. He asks Yates whether it would concern the Justice Department if 'one White House official lied to another.' Yates says in her testimony that she warned that Flynn's links with Russia compromised his position as a serving government officials, and would make him vulnerable to blackmail.

That night, Trump had dinner with FBI Director James B. Comey at the White House. Comey alleges that Trump asked for his "loyalty." Trump denies making any such request. In a tongue-in-cheek retort, he says “I didn’t, but I don’t think it would be a bad question to ask.”

January 30 - Acting Attorney General Sally Yates is fired for saying that Trump’s executive order barring travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries is “unlawful".

February 13 - Michael Flynn is forced to resign after it was reported in the Washington Post that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence over his contacts with Kislyak.

 Former FBI Director James Comey listens during a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Ousted FBI director James Comey is sworn in during a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill June 8, 2017 in Washington, DC.

February 14 - Trump tells Comey to call off the FBI probe into Flynn's dealings with the Russians. Comey writes in a memo that Trump purportedly said “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.” Trump denied making such a statement.

February 16 - Trump denies directing Flynn to discuss sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

March 2 - Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from the investigation citing conflict of interest since he was himself a part of the Trump campaign.

March 7 - Flynn provides the Justice Department documents pertaining to compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act for a project his company Flynn Intel Group Inc. undertook in Turkey. Flynn lies in several statements he made to the Justice Department.

May 9 - Trump fires Comey as FBI Director. The reason cited for his dismissal is his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private mail server dating back to the time of Obama's presidency.

 This handout image released on May 9, 2017 by the White House shows a copy of the termination letter from US President Donald Trump to FBI Director James Comey, May 9, 2017 in Washington, DC.

This handout image released on May 9, 2017 by the White House shows a copy of the termination letter from US President Donald Trump to FBI Director James Comey.

May 17 - Former FBI Chief Robert Mueller is appointed special counsel. He is given the mandate to collect evidence and probe the influence of Russia in meddling in the 2016 election and its blowback of which senior Trump aides are protagonists.

July 8 - The media reports that Jared Kushner, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, and Donald Trump Jr met with Russians at Trump Towers in June 2016.

October 5 - George Papadopoulos, a volunteer foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, pleads guilty to lying to the FBI. He confesses that he had been in touch with Russians who promised "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of a tranche of private emails.

October 27 - Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is indicted in connection to business deals he had made in the past, in personal capacity.

December 1 - Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI and promises his cooperation to the investigation headed by Robert Mueller. He names Jared Kushner and K.T. McFarland as member of the transition team who were involved in facilitating his meeting with Kislyak.

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