Michael Flynn says Donald Trump ordered him to conspire with Russia; also testifying against Trump family
This morning Michael Flynn’s plea deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller became official. Flynn is pleading guilty to a single charge of lying to the FBI, and his other charges – ranging from conspiracy to commit kidnapping to conspiracy against the United States – will be waived. This made clear that Flynn was turning over substantial evidence and testimony to be used against bigger fish. Now it’s being confirmed just how substantial it is.
Michael Flynn has agreed to testify against Donald Trump and the entire Trump family, according to an ABC News report (link). Flynn will testify that Donald Trump “directed him to make contact with the Russians.” The report doesn’t name specific other members of the Trump family, but based on prior reporting, it’s fairly clear who they are: Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and possibly Ivanka Trump. Mueller would not have handed out an overly lenient deal like this unless he’s already seen that Flynn can provide testimony and evidence to indict and charge these bigger fish. But there’s more.
ABC says that Flynn will be testifying against “others in the White House” without naming names. There is every reason to believe that Flynn will finger Vice President Mike Pence, as we’ve explained earlier (link). This means Robert Mueller could end up making a clean sweep of the Trump-Pence administration, creating an unprecedented vacancy to be filled by the presidential order of succession.
Michael Flynn’s testimony alone will be enough to take Donald Trump down. But look for Robert Mueller to use Flynn’s testimony to force other members of the Trump family, most likely Jared Kushner, to cut deals of their own against Trump. That will give Mueller multiple eye witnesses when it comes to taking Donald Trump down. Flynn surely has evidence as well to back up his testimony.
