- 15 Jan 2020 06:32
#15059466
Michael Flynn withdraws guilty plea, accuses prosecutors of acting in 'bad faith'
USA TODAY Jan. 14, 2020
Flynn was charged with lying to the FBI during the Mueller probe.
In a 24-page motion filed Tuesday night, Flynn's attorneys declared his innocence despite pleading guilty twice to making false statements to federal investigators. Flynn's defense team, led by conservative lawyer and frequent Fox News commentator Sidney Powell, has accused the government of forcing Flynn to admit to crimes he did not commit and then hiding evidence that would've exonerated him. A federal judge has rejected those claims.
"The prosecutors concocted the alleged 'false statements' by their own misrepresentations, deceit, and omissions. It is beyond ironic and completely outrageous that the prosecutors have persecuted Mr. Flynn, virtually bankrupted him, and put his entire family through unimaginable stress for three years," according to the motion.
In a tweet Tuesday night, Powell, whom Flynn hired last year, said the government "acted in bad faith, with vindictiveness, and breached the plea agreement."
Last week, prosecutors, who had initially said Flynn should not be sentenced to prison, accused him of thwarting their investigation and of failing to accept responsibility. The government recommended imprisonment "to promote respect for the law and adequately deter such criminal conduct."
Pat Cotter, a former federal prosecutor, said Flynn has "little to no chance of successfully withdrawing his plea."
Flynn pleaded guilty two years ago to lying to the FBI about his communication with Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the U.S., in the weeks before Trump took office.
Prosecutors charged that Flynn lied to FBI agents when he told them he did not discuss sanctions against Russia with Kislyak, and when he said he did not ask Kislyak to delay a vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution critical of Israeli settlements.
USA TODAY Jan. 14, 2020
Flynn was charged with lying to the FBI during the Mueller probe.
In a 24-page motion filed Tuesday night, Flynn's attorneys declared his innocence despite pleading guilty twice to making false statements to federal investigators. Flynn's defense team, led by conservative lawyer and frequent Fox News commentator Sidney Powell, has accused the government of forcing Flynn to admit to crimes he did not commit and then hiding evidence that would've exonerated him. A federal judge has rejected those claims.
"The prosecutors concocted the alleged 'false statements' by their own misrepresentations, deceit, and omissions. It is beyond ironic and completely outrageous that the prosecutors have persecuted Mr. Flynn, virtually bankrupted him, and put his entire family through unimaginable stress for three years," according to the motion.
In a tweet Tuesday night, Powell, whom Flynn hired last year, said the government "acted in bad faith, with vindictiveness, and breached the plea agreement."
Last week, prosecutors, who had initially said Flynn should not be sentenced to prison, accused him of thwarting their investigation and of failing to accept responsibility. The government recommended imprisonment "to promote respect for the law and adequately deter such criminal conduct."
Pat Cotter, a former federal prosecutor, said Flynn has "little to no chance of successfully withdrawing his plea."
Flynn pleaded guilty two years ago to lying to the FBI about his communication with Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the U.S., in the weeks before Trump took office.
Prosecutors charged that Flynn lied to FBI agents when he told them he did not discuss sanctions against Russia with Kislyak, and when he said he did not ask Kislyak to delay a vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution critical of Israeli settlements.
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