With the Russia collusion hoax falling apart, many are wondering whether those individuals unjustly harmed by Robert Mueller’s investigation, like General Michael Flynn, will receive a pardon.
In his first interview since being exonerated by Mueller, Trump said he wasn’t ready to talk about pardoning anyone just yet. Still, he lamented the “very sad” situation and mentioned Flynn’s “incredible record” on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s show Wednesday night.
Trump praises Flynn
Among those charged or convicted in Mueller’s probe, Flynn, who was a decorated general before his name was dragged through the mud, is a particularly sympathetic figure. For months on end, Flynn was smeared by the media as he and others close to Trump were accused of partaking in an international criminal conspiracy.
With Russiagate turning out to be a giant hoax, many Trump supporters are demanding redress for what Flynn and others went through.
In his call with Hannity, Trump bemoaned the damage inflicted on individuals unfairly targeted in the probe, but demurred from answering Hannity’s question on whether he would make any pardons. Trump called the situation “very, very sad” on “so many levels.”
“I could name names that would just go on for the entire — your entire show. It’s a very, very sad thing. I don’t want to talk about pardons now, but I can say it is so sad on so many levels,” Trump told Hannity.
Flynn pleaded guilty in December of 2017 of lying to investigators about diplomatic talks he had with Russia during the transition between Trump’s campaign and administration. He hasn’t been sentenced yet.
“I don’t want to talk about pardons now,” Trump said. “When you mention General Flynn, he was a man who had an incredible record in the military, you see what happened to him,” Trump said. “You know what he has gone through, and what so many others have gone through.”
New focus on pardons
With Mueller’s 22-month investigation coming up empty, many Trump supporters are angry at the media, Democrats and senior intelligence for peddling a hoax that unfairly maligned Trump, his family, and members of his campaign and transition team for months on end. While Trump has repeatedly said that no plans for pardons are in the works, his exoneration has brought renewed attention to the question, and Trump’s obvious sympathy for those charged has raised speculation.
Those charged in the investigation for process crimes stemming from the investigation itself, like lying to investigators, are seen by many conservatives as the victims of a political witch hunt. That seems all the more clear now with Trump’s resounding vindication by Mueller.
All Trump campaign associates caught up in the Mueller probe were charged with lying to investigators, including Flynn, former Trump campaign official George Papadopolous, former Trump associate Roger Stone, former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates, and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Manafort was recently sentenced to 81 months in prison for financial crimes, while Cohen received a sentence of three years.
While Manafort’s case is more serious, those charged with making false statements have long been considered to have fallen into “perjury traps” set by Mueller’s team. Conservatives were also alarmed at the excessive show of force in the armed, pre-dawn arrest of Stone for charges of lying to Congress.
Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, has already asked for a pardon from the president. One man who will certainly not get one is Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and friend who Trump blasted as a “rat” after Cohen turned against him.
Witch Hunt continues?
Mueller submitted the final report summarizing his nearly-two year investigation of collusion on Friday to attorney general William Barr, who sent a four-page letter summarizing the investigation to Congress on Sunday. Barr’s letter unambiguously exonerated Trump of collusion and obstruction of justice, but Democrats immediately seized on the inclusion of language that Mueller “did not exonerate” Trump of obstruction. Mueller punted that question to Barr and deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, who cleared Trump.
The Barr letter has spawned a new episode of post-Mueller Washington drama, and the next installment coming into focus centers on Barr and his letter, as Democrats have taken to accusing Barr in engaging in a cover-up. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and others have peddled the claim that Barr got the job because of his alleged view that the president is “above the law.” The Democrats’ new strategy is attacking Barr’s impartiality and credibility while demanding the report’s full release to the public in the name of transparency.
Democrats have been at pains to depict Republicans as desperate to suppress the report. But Trump has said he has no problem with releasing it, which makes sense given his exoneration. However, Republicans say Democrats are eager to launch new investigations into Trump and prolong old ones using details from the full report.
Trump came down with fury on Russiagate, describing it as an illegal coup attempt and a disgrace to the nation. Speaking with Hannity Wednesday, Trump said he plans to release the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) documents used by the Obama administration to spy on his campaign.
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