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“Abuse of Power” – Trump forgives former security adviser Michael Flynn
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“It tastes different from Barack Obama”
US President Donald Trump has forgiven his former security adviser Michael Flynn. Other presidents also pronounced pardons shortly before the end of their term. WELT reporter Steffen Schwarzkopf explains why Trump has an aftertaste.
He lied to the FBI and was tried. Now US President Donald Trump has forgiven his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Democratic leaders accuse Trump of abuse of power.
UPresident Donald Trump has forgiven his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, exposing himself to abuses of power. “It is a great honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has received full pardon,” Trump wrote on Twitter Wednesday. The retired general was involved in Russia’s affair over possible electoral influence from Russia. Democratic leaders in the US Congress have accused Trump of carefully undermining the rule of law.
The Republican could forgive other people before his term expires on January 20. Former presidents like Barack Obama exercised this right until their last day in office.
Flynn had been a National Security Advisor to the White House for only a little over three weeks in 2017. Later, in the course of investigating possible Russian influence in the 2016 US presidential election, he admitted lying to the FBI. He is also said to have lied to Vice President Mike Pence on the matter. Flynn was the only one to plead guilty to FBI Special Investigator Robert Mueller’s investigation.
In January, Flynn filed a motion to withdraw his confession just before a verdict was expected in his trial. In May, the Ministry of Justice called for an end to the proceedings at a completely unusual stage. One was not convinced that Flynn’s hearing in January 2017 was based on a legitimate investigation, he said, among other things. Trump then hailed Flynn as a “hero”.
The case was blocked in federal court after the Ministry of Justice’s controversial advance. The responsible judge had not agreed to drop the charges against Flynn.
The possibility of Trump forgiving his confidant has long been in the room. In March, the president announced that he was seriously considering a “total pardon”. According to Trump’s account, Flynn was treated unfairly by the judiciary and the FBI. He repeatedly complained that Flynn had been persecuted by the judiciary. “You accused Flynn of lying and he didn’t lie,” Trump said in an interview in October. In his words, the investigation into Russia was a pure “witch hunt”.
“He is an innocent man”
Before the November 3 presidential election, the legal battle in the Flynn case was back on the agenda, with Republicans trying to mobilize supporters by portraying an establishment conspiracy against Trump.
The statement by Trump spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday had a similar tenor: “General Flynn shouldn’t need a pardon. He is an innocent man. “He was” a victim of partisan government officials “who tried to undermine the 2016 election. McEnany accused former President Barack Obama’s administration employees of hindering a” peaceful transfer of power. “to his successor.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows called Flynn an “American patriot” on Twitter. “What the left has done to him and his family over the past four years must no longer be allowed in America.”
House spokeswoman, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, accused Trump of abusing power in favor of a convicted criminal: “Flynn’s actions represented a serious and dangerous violation of our national security.” The pardon is further proof that Trump respects the rule of law no matter what.
US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff tweeted: “Donald Trump has repeatedly abused his pardon to reward friends and protect those who covered him.”
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