Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Federal Judge Just Delayed Michael Flynn's Sentencing But Not Before Eviscerating Him in Open Court With an Epic Takedown

Federal Judge Just Delayed Michael Flynn's Sentencing But Not Before Eviscerating Him in Open Court With an Epic Takedown
WASHINGTON, DC - July 10: Michael Flynn, former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, departs the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse following a pre-sentencing hearing July 10, 2018 in Washington, DC. Flynn has been charged with a single count of making a false statement to the FBI by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Yikes.

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's sentencing has been delayed by a federal judge pending Flynn's ongoing cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Mueller recommended a lenient sentence for Flynn due to his "substantial assistance" to the special counsel's probe. The parties will reconvene in March to readdress Flynn's eventual sentence, hinting that Mueller's probe is far from over.


United States District Judge Emmet Sullivan hammered Flynn for lying to the FBI about secret contact he had with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak ahead of his brief stint in the White House. Flynn is the highest-level administration official to plead guilty in Mueller's investigation.

Sullivan made it clear that he thinks Flynn should go to prison, grilling Flynn over “my disgust, my disdain" over what Flynn had done. Sullivan warned Flynn that his further cooperation may not spare him jail time.

Sullivan continued:

"This is a very serious offense. A high ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation while on the physical premises of the of the White House.”

The drama included some confusion sparked by Sullivan's questions.

At one point, Sullivan asked if Flynn had committed treason when he acted as "an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the National Security Adviser to the president," adding that Flynn's actions "undermine everything this flag over here stands for! Arguably, you sold your country out!"

Sullivan later retracted those comments after Prosecutor Brandon Van Grack reminded the judge that Flynn's foreign lobbying ended before he began working in the White House.

"I made a statement about Mr. Flynn acting as a foreign agent in the White House," Sullivan said, correcting his remarks. "I'm not suggesting" Flynn committed treason, Sullivan said. "I was just trying to determine the benefit and the generosity of the government. Don't read too much into the questions I ask."

Van Grack did not respond when Sullivan asked if Flynn "could have been charged with treason," however. "The defendant had provided the vast majority of cooperation that could be considered," Van Grack said.

There is no question that Flynn is in a heap of trouble, and that he got a sweetheart deal from Mueller.

Early Tuesday, President Donald Trump wished Flynn "good luck" on Twitter and again insisted there was "no collusion."

Trump has tiptoed around Flynn - who has not spoken publicly since pleading guilty - leaving many wondering what Flynn really has on the president.

The fact that Flynn confessed to a felony still has not registered with the president.

Sullivan also asked Flynn and his lawyers if they felt the FBI had entrapped the former general, which conservative pundits, Flynn's defense attorneys, and even Trump have claimed.

"I was aware" lying to the FBI was a crime, Flynn told the judge. He did not want to change his plea.

Nice try, but Flynn knew what he was doing was wrong, hence his willful guilty plea.

After the hearing, Flynn exited the courthouse as crowds chanted "USA" and "lock him up!"

More from People/donald-trump

Screenshot of Michael Waltz
Fox News

Trump Official Dragged After Suggesting 'Atlantic' Editor 'Hacked' Into Signal Group Chat

Speaking to Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, national security adviser Michael Waltz suggested that Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg hacked his phone to gain access to a Signal chat with high-level Trump administration officials, particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussing military strategy surrounding war strikes in Yemen.

Waltz made this claim even though he had previously acknowledged setting up the Signal group in question, while President Donald Trump suggested that it was one of Waltz’s associates who added Goldberg.

Keep ReadingShow less
Denzel Washington
Ivan Romano/Getty Images

Denzel Washington Sparks Debate After Pushing Back On Being Called A 'Hollywood Actor'

If you ever get a chance to talk to Denzel Washington about his acting craft, be careful how you address him.

Big-time actors Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are currently starring in a Broadway rendition of Othello, which is the first Shakespeare play to be produced on Broadway in more than 40 years, alongside other big actors and producers traditionally found in Hollywood-based productions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pedro Pascal
Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube

Pedro Pascal Left Red-Faced After Photo Reveals His Bonkers Morning Coffee Order

There are some things that should be between you and the person you worked with to get it: your medical prescriptions, the number of packages you receive from online shopping, and your coffee order.

Actor Pedro Pascal was recently being interviewed on Jimmy Kimmel Live when the host brought up how a paparazzi had accidentally revealed Pascal's coffee order in an image from last year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gwyneth Paltrow; Meghan Markle
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images; Samir Hussein/WireImage

Gwyneth Paltrow And Meghan Markle Epically Shut Down Rumors That They're Feuding

The newest Hollywood feud is the one in which actor Gwyneth Paltrow and Meghan Markle are at each other's throats after Paltrow mocked Markle's new Netflix show.

The only problem—it apparently never happened.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
Newsmax

Trump Slammed After Touting Plan To Financially Compensate Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters

President Donald Trump is facing criticism after suggesting the creation of a "compensation fund" for individuals who were pardoned after participating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

In one of his first official actions upon returning to office, Trump granted sweeping clemency to nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the riot. He issued pardons to most defendants and commuted the sentences of 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militia, many of whom had been convicted of seditious conspiracy.

Keep ReadingShow less