Retired judge calls effort to drop case against ex-Trump adviser 'gross abuse' of power

Reuters ^ | June 10, 2020 | Sarah N. Lynch and Jan Wolfe

[Rennes Templar]

WASHINGTON — A retired judge on Wednesday urged a federal court not to allow the Justice Department to dismiss its criminal case against President Donald Trump's former adviser Michael Flynn, citing evidence of a "gross abuse of prosecutorial power."

The U.S. district judge hearing the case, Emmet Sullivan, last month tapped John Gleeson to serve as a "friend of the court," after the Justice Department abruptly asked the court to dismiss the criminal charge against Flynn, a former national security adviser.

The stunning move by the Justice Department followed a pressure campaign by Trump and his conservative allies and came even though Flynn had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with former Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. Gleeson was tasked with arguing against the government's motion, and Sullivan also asked him to make a recommendation on whether to hold Flynn in contempt for perjury.

"The government has engaged in highly irregular conduct to benefit a political ally of the president. The facts of this case overcome the presumption of regularity," Gleeson wrote, noting that Sullivan should proceed with sentencing Flynn.

Flynn was one of several former Trump aides charged under former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation that detailed Moscow's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He was Trump's national security adviser briefly in early 2017.

Gleeson also said there was "ample evidence in the record that Flynn committed perjury," or lying under oath. But he recommended that Sullivan take Flynn's perjury into account when sentencing him for lying to the FBI, rather than commencing a follow-on prosecution.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

I hope Roberts doesn’t throw another t**d into the punch bowl.

[cranked]

Ummmmmmm, given to a very very recent Supreme Court case, the “gross abuse of power” is that exhibited by the idiot judge Sullivan......................................

[Oystir]

I listened to the hearing. And while we can never tell from listening to questions from Judges what they will eventually decide, it seems quite likely that the briefs you quote aren’t where we are headed. It looks like it is procedural, as I stated, and going back to Sully where more procedural stuff will happen like entertaining the motion to revoke the plea, and if revoked move towards trial, the gov action to seek a dismissal or a possible sentencing. There could even be more motions for Mandamus. I continue to hope I am wrong...

[Gay State Conservative]

Why are we publishing anything from Reuters? They’re just as rabidly anti Trump as MSLSD.

[olezip]

A retired judge on Wednesday urged a federal court not to allow the Justice Department to dismiss its criminal case against President Donald Trump's former adviser Michael Flynn, citing evidence of a "gross abuse of prosecutorial power."

Is this retired judge focusing on a questionable and trivial matter of a highly dubious claim that General Flynn lied? He is trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. He should stay retired or be impached along with Sullivan.

Lawyer activists in black robes should all be removed from office. Terrible insult to the Justice Department, terrible ignorance of the mountains of evidence in this case.

Why are these judges so desperate to prolong this matter and interfere with the Executive branch of our government? Methinks he protests too much!