[NFA] U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Gavino Garay has more.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The pardon came via Twitter, with Trump writing that it was his "Great Honor to announce that General Michael T.
Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon.
Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!" A retired Army general, Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about interactions he had with Russia's ambassador to the United States in the weeks leading up to Trump's inauguration in January 2017.
Flynn was on the job for only 24 days when Trump fired him as a controversy broke over the former general's contacts with then Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.
Trump in 2017 tweeted that he "had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI.
He has pled guilty to those lies.
It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful.
There was nothing to hide!" Flynn has since sought to withdraw the plea, arguing that prosecutors violated his rights and duped him into a plea agreement.
His sentencing has been deferred several times.
In 2020, the Department of Justice under Attorney General William Barr moved to drop criminal charges against Flynn.
The DOJ was still waiting to get a judge's permission to drop Flynn's case when Trump pardoned him.
Flynn was one of several former Trump aides to plead guilty or be convicted at trial in the Mueller probe - and he's not the first Trump let off the hook.
His longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone was sentenced to prison for obstruction of justice, witness tampering and lying to lawmakers investigating Russian interference.
But right before Stone was to report to prison, Trump commuted his sentence.
On Wednesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff blasted the move..
Tweeting: "Donald Trump has repeatedly abused the pardon power to reward friends and protect those who covered up for him."
Michael Flynn pleaded guilty three years ago to lying about his conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
