More from The Associated Press:
The move is a stunning reversal for one of the signature cases brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. It comes even though prosecutors for the last three years had maintained that Flynn had lied to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in a January 2017 interview. Flynn himself admitted as much, and became a key cooperator for Mueller as he investigated ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.
In court documents being filed Thursday, the Justice Department said it is dropping the case “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information.” The documents were obtained by The Associated Press.
The Justice Department said it had concluded that Flynn’s interview by the FBI was “untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn” and that the interview on January 24, 2017 was “conducted without any legitimate investigative basis.”
The U.S. attorney reviewing the Flynn case, Jeff Jensen, recommended the move to Attorney General William Barr last week and formalized the recommendation in a document this week.
“Through the course of my review of General Flynn’s case, I concluded the proper and just course was to dismiss the case,” Jensen said in a statement. “I briefed Attorney General Barr on my findings, advised him on these conclusions, and he agreed.”
The decision is certain to be embraced by Trump, who has relentlessly tweeted about the case and last week pronounced Flynn “exonerated,” and energize supporters who have taken up the retired Army lieutenant general as something of a cause celebre. But it may also add to Democratic concerns that Attorney General William Barr is excessively loyal to the president, and could be a distraction for a Justice Department that for months has sought to focus on crimes arising from the coronavirus.
The Justice Department’s action comes amid an internal review into the handling of the case and an aggressive effort by Flynn’s lawyers to challenge the basis for the prosecution. The lawyers cited newly disclosed FBI emails and notes last week to allege that Flynn was entrapped into lying when agents interviewed him at the White House days after Trump’s inauguration.
Jensen was assigned to review this Feb 15 less than 90 days ago.
I wonder in Judge Sullivan will be an ass and refuse to let the case be dropped on account of Flynn’s “guilty” plea?
Doesn’t the judge have to agree “to let” the case be dropped?
The AP can spin this all they want. It was the right decision and it proves why the Special Counsel’s Office was a travesty in that they conducted a partisan and flawed investigation and the same “investigators” prosecuted the case.
There needs to be a full accounting for those responsible for this on behalf of Flynn and other victims, the nation that had to endure this ridiculous story for years, the media that promoted this crap, and those within the FBI that deprived citizens of their civil rights under the color of the law.
The case against George P should be vacated also. They played the same dirty games with the FISA court and upon the nation.
Dismantle.
Burn it.
Flynn should sue Mueller PERSONALLY!!!!!!! and probably Rod Rosenstein
No mention whatsoever by AP that Flynn was threatened with his son’s prosecution if he did not cooperate. A significant and material piece of information conveniently omitted by AP.
I’m hoping Trump makes some comments, this is absolutely blockbuster.
Flynn was a general was he not that over saw some of the counter terrorism conducted in Afghanistan in the 2000s?