Why Was the FBI Investigating General Flynn?

National Review ^ | 2/18/17 | Andrew C. McCarthy

[randita]

Long read, but pretty much concludes that there was no valid reason for the FBI grilling Flynn in the first place and that it was indeed a crime to leak details about the call to the press.

[Gulf War One]

Unless Flynn was collateral to another and more important investigation already underway - one for which he was not the target. Perhaps that’s why he was cleared so quickly.

We have no idea what was discussed, do we?

[pepsionice]

Basically, anyone who rings up the Russian ambassador’s personal phone...probably gets an investigation. That’s my bet. Course, the FBI won’t acknowledge that.

Perhaps we should get a volunteer from audience to make the call and see if the FBI visits their house?

[AndyJackson]

domestic law enforcement (MI6)

He needs to proof-read what he writes [may the god's not strike us freepers dead for our hypocrisy]. MI6 is British foreign intelligence

[Don Corleone]

The “Community-Organizer-in-Chief “ was behind this. Bet on it.

[livius]

Very good article and I hope Trump’s legal staff follows up on this.

Also, if there anybody who shod be abject to the Logan Act, it’s McCain. He’s been abroad shooting his mouth off, undercutting the Adminsitration’s foreign policy, and offering his own completely unauthorized policy instead.

[gaijin]

Later

[AndyJackson]

Now, are you unhappy — as I am unhappy — with the Trump administration’s blandishments toward the murderous, anti-American Putin regime? Sure . . . but that does not make Flynn and other Trump officials Russian agents — any more than Obama is an Iranian agent. Again, political disagreement is not a rationalization for drawing a ridiculous legal conclusion (“maybe he’s a ‘foreign agent’”) as a pretext for an investigation by the FBI.

Well, this is NR, and so we should know that this was going off the rails. This isn't exactly Trump's view, which he stated so clearly in his presser.

Russia and the US are two very powerful nuclear armed countries. Armageddon is in no one's interest, and therefore it would be helpful if we could get along on things where it is in our mutual interest to get along.

And one of our big problems with Russia is the American penchant for sticking its nose in Russia's internal affairs or their well-settled sphere of influence. It's part of our busy-body approach to international affairs. It's in our blood, like going to the Puritan vicar and telling him that you saw a married couple in his parish having non-missionary position sex or something.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Oh, perhaps Flynn was conducting a sting for his CIC so they could release transcripts slightly variant from each other and so that they would be able to identify who the real “leaker” of intel was to the Washington Compost or wherever they leaked it...added cover by having him fired made them even more bold...now the big question is...NOW that Trump knows WHO you are will he frog march you into custody or use you later with this leverage agasint you. In the meantime General Flynn will probably be a close advisor the POTUS for which he needs no Senate approval.
Makes sense to me in a fake news world
Freegards
LEX

[Chewbarkah]

I hope Jason Chaffetz surprises us with an effective investigation of the government’s conduct in this matter, and exposes the Obama plot behind it.

President Trump should declassify and release the pertinent parts of Flynn’s conversations in both recorded form and as “transcripts”. It’s not exactly a secret that the calls were recorded, and Amb. Kislyak presumably knows what he talked about.

Better yet, President Putin should publish the recordings of the same conversations made by the Russian side.

[SunTzuWu]

Bookmark.

[philman_36]

Raw 12333 surveillance sharing guidelines

[philman_36]

Ex post facto considerations. Do the communications before the new guidelines were implemented fall under this change?

[trebb]

Too many partisan politicians in positions of National Security and Intelligence - Trump knew this going in and his statements about returning power to the People were not coincidental events. He was forewarning those who would be petty tyrants, within the government and outside the law, that their time is limited.

God protect President Trump.

[Nifster]

Why is Comey still there?

[Nifster]

I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that weak sister

[philman_36]

The FBI’s guidelines for domestic operations strike the right balance: “The FBI should . . . operate openly and consensually with U.S. persons to the extent practicable when collecting foreign intelligence that does not concern criminal activities or threats to the national security.”

The guidelines...pdf format...https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3283349/Raw-12333-surveillance-sharing-guidelines.pdf

(U) SECTION VI - DISSEMINATION
B. (U) Criteria for dissemination of USPI.
Subject to paragraph A and to paragraphs C, D, and E below, an IC element may disseminate USPI derived solely from raw SIGINT covered by these Procedures only if one of the following conditions is met, and if a high-level official as specified in the MOA determines that the recipient has a need for the USPI in the performance of his or her official duties:
1. (U) Consent. The U.S. person has consented to the dissemination of (i) communications to, from, or about him or her, (ii) data related to such communications, or (iii) information about him or her, and has executed an appropriate consent form.

I doubt Flynn gave consent.

[kenmcg]

Trump should have put Flynn and Pence in a room to iron out differences. A strong admonishment (in private) of Flynn would have sufficed. Firing Flynn a big mistake, it gave the MSM blood in the water.

[mad_as_he$$]

I like McCarthy but that is a blatant error.

[wastoute]

Part of the “barium meal”.