The White House just threw Flynn under the bus.

[RandySF]

he White House said on Friday that it was the Obama administration that authorized former national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during President Trump's transition, according to CNN.

Flynn pleaded guilty on Friday to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Kislyak in the month before Trump took office, the first current or former Trump White House official brought down by special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's election meddling.

Court records indicate that his communications with Kislyak were directed by a Trump transition official, with multiple news outlets reporting that official was Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

“They are saying here at the White House that Flynn’s conversations with Sergey Kisylak were quote ‘authorized’ by the Obama administration,” CNN correspondent Jim Acosta said.

“We should point out, that is something that we have not heard before in terms of a defense from this White House,” he said.


http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/362856-cnn-white-house-claims-obama-admin-approved-flynn-calls-with-russian

[C_U_L8R]

1. That's a laughable excuse

What crooks.

[Roland99]

13. Flynn was fired in 2014. Ridiculous claim. Pathetic.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9912887

[Jim__]

2. Yea, that's gonna fly.

Mueller can always ask Obama. Obama's word versus Trump's word - who do you think wins that one.

[SCantiGOP]

5. I dont think it would be a word

Absent a written directive this is laughable.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Typical deflection from the party that preaches personal reponsibility

for everyone else.

[PJMcK]

4. Good try, Trump!

You told the American public that you would only hire the best people.

Why have so many of your appointees been shitty?

Loser.

[Stuart G]

6. Yes, the bus may be meant to run over Flynn, but it will get Kushner instead..

Flynn got a deal...he will not get run over...who is next to go?? Kushner

. Why? Because Flynn got a deal, all the experts say, it is quite a deal, not being charged with everything he could have been charged with. WhY ?? so he can testify to the next one up the ladder ...who is ........KUSHNER Trump's son in law..

It is clear that Kushner told Flynn to carry on negotiations with Russia.. and???
that is illegal.....that is what the experts are saying.

Flynn a retired 3 star General, and former head of Defense Intelligence..knew what he was doing was wrong..
so..guess what? He cut a deal..to testify against who ordered him to do what he did...yes indeed..

Here at this link, an explanation:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029912720

[mercuryblues]

11. I heard something on the radio today that

made me go HUH? Mueller is a slick one and then laughed.

One of the reasons that Flynn was charged as he was, lying to the FBI is so that if trump dares to pardon him, there are a host of other charges that could be brought against him. Unless trump also pardons crimes he has not been charged with. But even if trump does that, he has Flynn's signed statement and his plea on record. If Flynn gets a full pardon he still has to testify and if he tries to lie, BAM a new charge and Mueller won't be so lenient.

I can tell you, I don't ever want to play poker with Mueller hard as stone and always has an ace up his sleeve.

[fierywoman]

17. Ha-ha, Mueller is VASTLY out-dealing Trump.

[greeny2323]

7. Fails the laugh test

Flynn was working to undermine the Obama administration, so this excuse is hilarious.

[strongermessage]

8. It make perfect sense. Flynn was secretly working for Obama when he got caught, so he had to lie...

to the FBI to keep the dotard-in-chief from finding out about it.

[mia]

9. President Obama warned President Donald Trump against hiring Mike Flynn

The warning, which has not been previously reported, came less than 48 hours after the November election when the two sat down for a 90-minute conversation in the Oval Office.

A senior Trump administration official acknowledged Monday that Obama raised the issue of Flynn, saying the former president made clear he was "not a fan of Michael Flynn." Another official said Obama’s remark seemed like it was made in jest.

According to all three former officials, Obama warned Trump against hiring Flynn. The Obama administration fired Flynn in 2014 from his position as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, largely because of mismanagement and temperament issues.

Obama’s warning pre-dated the concerns inside the government about Flynn’s contacts with the Russian ambassador, one of the officials said. Obama passed along a general caution that he believed Flynn was not suitable for such a high level post, the official added....

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/obama-warned-trump-against-hiring-mike-flynn-say-officials-n756316

[Stuart G]

10. k and r...for exposure..

[Tipperary]

12. I heard that at the gym today. Unfortunately, the nearest TV to me was playing Fox.

I actually could not believe what I was reading on the closed caption. Fox was pushing that meme the whole time I was working out.

[ProudLib72]

14. Why do I picture Dotard wearing a big foam rubber hand with pointy finger outstretched?

Deer in headlights look on his face. Has to be in his bathrobe, too.

[The_jackalope]

15. Keep digging, boys. Make that hole nice and deep.

They have fucking SIGINT intercepts of the fucking phone calls, you fucking morons.

MUELLER KNOWS THE TRUTH!

[Yavin4]

16. Cue Sally Yates

Oh that's right. They fired her.

[Nevernose]

18. The CONVICTION comments are innocuous

Or mostly so.

"Please don't escalate tensions" is not only a fair request, but maybe even the most responsible request. If I had the ear of the Russian ambassador, and I thought that Russia was going to escalate whatever it is we're in now (Not a hot war or a cold war. A microwave war?), maybe the best to do was to ask them not to escalate.

The UN vote on Israel was worse, but still not horrifying and entirely undermining of US foreign policy. We were going to abstain; Flynn asked the Russians not to have the vote at all. Abstaining is a chickenshit move, and so is just not having the vote. Same result either way.

He lied about them, though. But I don't think Mueller would have bothered prosecuting lies on such innocuous allegations if he weren't holding the best hand in the world.

However, taking the two comments that Flynn was convicted of talking about at face value is dumb for everyone. Even if they were "authorized," it doesn't matter. That's not what Flynn was convicted of, and that's not why Mueller hasn't shut down the investigation.