Mike Flynn, a former National Security Adviser for the Trump administration has reportedly requested an immunity deal in exchange for a testimony on possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. According to the Wall Street Journal, Flynn’s lawyer had already made contact with both the Senate and House Intelligence Committees in a bid to set the discussions about an immunity deal in motion. Flynn’s lawyer has also contacted the FBI about the same. The lawyer said that Flynn definitely has a story to tell but he would not feel comfortable testifying without an immunity deal on the table to shield him from any possible prosecution.
Flynn, who was one of the early Trump supporters, seems to have rocked the boat once again in this ongoing saga about collusion between members of the Trump campaign and operatives from Russia. And that is not all. For many analysts, his demand for immunity simply casts a shadow of doubt over his innocence. This is also not good news for the White House which for months now has continued to downplay any possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia amidst an ongoing investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee. In addition to this, there is no information on what Flynn has to say or whether he has already been compromised. This will be in particular worrisome since he was one of the top National Security Advisors for the Trump campaign and also the Trump administration during Trump’s first days in office.
The Russian link has followed Flynn for the best part of the last three months and it’s not really surprising. During the transition, the former National Security Advisor is reportedly said to have reaffirmed to the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak that once the Trump administration was in office it would, with immediate effect, reverse all the sanctions imposed by former President Barrack Obama on Russia as a response to possible meddling in the November 4th election. Essentially speaking, Mike Flynn has already committed a crime. It is on record that the former National Security Advisor lied to the F.B.I. about his nature of contact with the Russians, an act that is considered a felony. Democratic lawmakers have already demanded the security clearance form that Mike Flynn was required to fill before taking his post in the White House.
The aim here is to establish whether he disclosed any sources of income from foreign organizations. Whether the immunity deal is granted or not, there is no doubt many will take this request as an admission of guilt. Donald Trump himself is on record during the campaign saying that no one requests immunity unless they are guilty. Besides, who knows what Mike Flynn has to say? Perhaps this could be the smoking gun that will finally put this talk of Russian meddling into the US election to bed or certainly open a new Pandora Box for Trump and his administration to deal with.
