Published 17:02 IST, November 25th 2020
Donald Trump plans to pardon former national adviser Michael Flynn: Reports
US President Donald Trump plans to pardon his former national security adviser Micheal Flynn before he leaves office, according to multiple media reports.
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US President Donald Trump plans to pardon his former national security adviser Micheal Flynn before he leaves office. Flynn had admitted lying to the FBI about his contact with the former Russian ambassador to the US and became a cooperating witness in Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in 2016 president election. According to Axios, Trump plans to include Flynn in a series of pardons he will issue before leaving the office in January.
Michael Flynn was the only White House official charged in Mueller’s investigation. His talks with the Russian ambassador to Washington were a cornerstone of the sprawling investigation by Mueller. He has become a cause of célèbre among the conservatives, with many of Trump’s supporters arguing that the former national adviser was a victim of the “deep state”.
While Trump had fired Flynn just 22 days into his administration, the President, however, always claimed that the investigation was a political “witch hunt” and that Flynn was a “good man”. Now, if Trump does grant a reprieve to Flynn, it would be the highest-profile pardon issued by the president since he took office.
Back in May, the Justice Department had withdrawn its case against Flynn and the officials had said that the alleged lies to the FBI were not significant. But a federal judge has demanded a further judicial review of the matter. If Trump decides to pardon Flynn, the case would be out of the courts. Efforts by the US President and the justice department to dismiss the criminal case against the retired army general has become mired in lengthy legal battles in the courts.
Trump refuses to concede
Meanwhile, Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump in the US elections earlier this month. Trump has agreed transition moves must start and Biden will now get a top-secret intelligence brief. However, the outgoing president still refuses to admit defeat, repeating his baseless claims that the November 3 election was “rigged”. Biden was elected the 46th US President with 284 electoral college votes, along with vice presidential-elect Kamala Harris.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will formally assume office in January 2021. Kamala Harris has now made history by becoming the first woman, the first woman of colour and first woman of South-Asian origin to become the Vice-President-in waiting of the United States. This isn't the first time the Democratic VP elect Harris has made history. She made history earlier by becoming the first Asian-American to be chosen as a Democratic vice presidential nominee. Several world leaders have taken the opportunity to congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as their supporters across the US had taken to streets to celebrate the victory.
17:04 IST, November 25th 2020