Newly released documents in the case of General Michael Flynn demonstrate unbelievable corruption at the highest levels of the FBI. Within the past few days, US Attorney Timothy Shea has filed letters with the court, informing Flynn attorney Sidney Powell of incoming releases of exculpatory information; information Mueller team attorney Brandon Van Grack and the FBI under Christopher Wray have denied existed, and information that Sidney Powell has been fighting for since the summer of 2019.
Today the Flynn team filed a joint consent motion to unseal a portion of the documents, and Judge Emmett Sullivan allowed for the production of the material early this evening.
The documents revealed stunning corruption. Though only four pages, they detail a plan hatched at the highest levels of the FBI to entrap Flynn, try to get him to lie, and coerce him to admit to breaking the Logan Act. In one page of handwritten notes, former Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division at the FBI (and disgraced fired agent Peter Strzok's boss) writes a strategy list of how to handle the "ambush" interview conducted in the early days of the Trump presidency. Jim Comey is on video bragging about taking advantage of the inexperience of the Trump administration in order to get agents in to interview Flynn without going through the normal and proper channels.
The notes, scribbled on lined paper and dated 1/23/17 read: "What is our goal? Truth/Admission, or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?" and "If we get him to admit to breaking the Logan Act, give facts to DOJ and have them decide, or, if he initially lies then we present him (redacted), document for DOJ and let them decide how to address it. If we are seen as playing games, WH (White House) will be furious."
Interestingly, in an April 21st Judicial Watch release of emails between Page and Strzok, we learn that Peter Strzok emailed Lisa Page on January 4, 2017 with a copy of a paper from the Congressional Research Service entitled "Conducting Foreign Relations Without Authority: The Logan Act". It appears the pair were already researching the subject and learning how to potentially prosecute using the statute, one that had never been used to prosecute anyone in the history of the country.
Also in the release this evening, Lisa Page emails Peter Strzok and other redacted individuals, looking for clarification on how the FBI must use the 1001 admonishment; the warning about what the penalties are for lying to investigators. She says "I have a question for you. Could the admonition re: 1001 be given at the beginning of the interview? Or does it have to come following a statement which agents believe to be false?" later adding "It seems to be if the former, that it would be an easy way to just casually slip that in. "Of course, as you know sir, federal law makes it a crime to..."
Another email released shows a conversation between former FBI General Counsel James Baker, Peter Strzok and other redacted recipients, going over a list of questions that General Flynn could potentially ask Andrew McCabe in a phone interview. The email reads in part "I'm sure he's thought through these, but for DD's (McCabe) consideration about how to answer in advance of his call with Flynn". What follows is a list of questions General Flynn may ask McCabe once their call began. Among the questions "Do I need an attorney? Is it an espionage investigation? Will you tell Priebus, the President? Do I need to talk to Priebus, the President? Will you tell the WH what I tell you??"
While exculpatory information is being delivered to the General Flynn team, there is also another controversy unfolding, with General Flynn's former attorneys notifying the court that they have recently found over 6,800 additional pieces of information they claim they inadvertently neglected to provide to Sidney Powell when she took over the case. Judge Sullivan ordered that former counsel do an exhaustive search for missed information. Among the first traunch of documents they delivered was a heavily redacted email that indicates that Covington and Burling had a side agreement with former Mueller prosecutor Brandon Van Grack; a deal that was kept from Flynn. The visible portion of the email states "We have a lawyers unofficial understanding that they are unlikely to charge Junior in light of the cooperation agreement" and "The government took pains not to give a promise to MTF regarding Michael Junior so as to limit how much of a "benefit" it would have to disclose as part of its Giglio disclosures to any defendant against whom MTF may one day testify"
Sidney Powell announced tonight that the DOJ has also provided her with more information that is even more appalling than what has already been produced, and they are requesting redactions, etc so that they can also release that information for public view.
Tracy Beanz is the Founder and Editor in Chief of UncoverDC. Follow her on Twitter @TracyBeanz
