Back to Square One
After a defendant, with the court’s permission, withdraws a guilty plea, the case normally reverts to the point before the original plea. The defense can hammer out another deal with the prosecution or go to trial. If the reason for the withdrawal undermines the prosecution’s case (as in the instance of newly discovered evidence of innocence), the judge might even dismiss the charges. But withdrawing a plea doesn’t always end happily: There’s typically no guarantee that the defendant won’t receive a harsher sentence if convicted (again).
Sauce: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/withdrawing-guilty-plea-criminal-case.html
This may be why Gen Flynn is maintaining his plea.
@awprokop
Judge Sullivan: “This is a very. Serious. Offense. A high-ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the FBI while on the physical premises of the White House.”
Judge: Is Mr. Flynn still cooperating with and providing assistance to the government?
SCO’s Brandon Van Grack hesitates. “It remains a possibility,” he says, that Flynn will cooperate further.
@stevenportnoy
Sullivan describes Flynn’s crime as a “very serious offense” — a high ranking government official lying to the FBI, and doing it “while on the physical premises of the White House.”
Mueller prosecutor Brandon van Grack haltingly tells Sullivan it is a “possibility” that Flynn is still cooperating with the special counsel’s office.