Judge in Flynn case recuses himself

The Hill ^

[TigerClaws]

The judge who took a guilty plea from President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn last week has recused himself ahead of a sentencing hearing.

A court spokeswoman confirmed to Politico and other outlets that the case was reassigned after Judge Rudolph Contreras, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, recused himself.

Judge Emmet Sullivan, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, was randomly selected to take his place in the case.

The switch comes after Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians in the month before Trump took office.

Flynn's guilty plea is the most dramatic development yet in special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Trump campaign associates' ties to Russia.

Flynn has agreed to cooperate in the investigation led by Mueller, who has also secured indictments against three other former Trump campaign associates, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

[Steven W.]

HT kudos to kabar who caught - this may have been a tainted judge, caught in what appears could be the great Russia collusion white rabbit chase! He was appointed right before Clinton Obama Inc. engaged this whole scheme. Now ... is Mueller really this stupid or could this be the greatest sting in the history of the earth? If the judge was tainted, too, then the fact Comey first went to FISA and was denied and, then, voila, Strzoh gets the right judge! But then he doesn't recuse himself when the Flynn matter comes up? More likely or possible that was part of the scam, too, behind the scenes, in which case underlings like court clerks could be squeezed. If indeed a sting, and by this point that certainly well should have been, regardless of what / who Mueller is, then the whole series of events and timelines have been monitored by good guys. Mueller seems to like dropping on Fridays ... TBD ;)

[kabar]

Agree. Don’t be surprised if Mueller drops something tomorrow to capture the weekend news cycle and drown out the growing chorus calling for his removal. The noose is getting tighter. Sara Carter predicts an FBI personnel shakeup tomorrow. The battle is joined.

[Steven W.]

Is it the case that Judges on FISA Court are appointed by Chief Justice ... John Roberts? Might he have been ensnared as well? That would be consistent with whatever they have over him ala adopted children and changing his vote on Obamacare. Will see ... but it’s been a wild ride & the possibilities are endless!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

“There are now public reports that Mueller and company hid exculpatory evidence from Flynn prior to the plea.”

The entire Mueller “investigation” (read: provide a fig leaf for the Establishment Coup via impeachment...read: Treason) is crumbling before our eyes.

To protect the treasonous politicians, Mueller and all his merry band of Deep Staters will need to fall, perhaps literally, on their swords. We can’t let it stop with the Deep State, we must get their rulers - the Establishment Political Class - as well.

[Yaelle]

Extreme conflict of interest.

They’ve gotten away with an unbelievable level of corruption. Like Weinstein they must have thought they always would.

[zeestephen]

A guilty plea is not a simple formality.

A Judge must apply exactly the same legal standards to accepting a guilty plea that a judge would apply if he was conducting a bench trial and found the defendant guilty.

Before a guilty plea, the prosecution must present compelling evidence of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to the judge.

Failure to present exculpatory evidence known only to the prosecution, or failure to present evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, would, at the very least, allow the judge to reject a guilty plea.

[thinden]

Is he a fisa court judge?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

iirc, it was posted last night that he was a FISA judge that may have signed off on the “wire tap” that implicated flynn having a conversation with the russian ambassador.

I’ll try to link you back to that post.

[donozark]

Yes, happens quite often. Gen. Flynn should withdraw his guilty plea and file a motion to dismiss.

[Wuli]

“There are now public reports that Mueller and company hid exculpatory evidence from Flynn prior to the plea.......This obligates the Judge to report Mueller and company for possible bar violation or even illegal conduct.........So Judge is getting the heck out now.”

So the judge is escaping from the case to avoid doing what the judge replacing him cannot do? Or, can the new judge, with that same information, declare a mistrial, after the fact, because of that information? And who has the information and and can give the information to the judge, Flynn’s lawyers?

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

Gen. Flynn should withdraw his guilty plea and file a motion to dismiss.

If Flynn took the plea in order to save himself from other charges, or in exchange for charges being dropped on his son, wouldn't a dismissal put all that back in play?

Not saying that he shouldn't do it, as a dismissal would reflect so poorly on Mueller that he couldn't go back on Flynn.

Just wondering what the risk is to Flynn for going back on a deal that he was obviously willing to accept.

[donozark]

Oh nothing is off the table. But prosecution failed to meet tenets of discovery when they had ample time to do so. Judges get angry over this. Strzok was canned (from the investigation) last summer, but not announced until hours after Flynn entered guilty plea. Seems more than a mere coincidence....

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

I’m not sure that we have a clear understanding of why Strzok was removed from the Mueller investigation. There have been a few theories, but I’m guessing that Mueller will claim it has nothing to do with bias that could have affected Flynn’s case. Those guys are crafty- sinister & crafty.

[a little elbow grease]

...... sounds like it could be right.