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U.S. NEWS Thursday 30 January 2020

Justice Dept. won't oppose probation for ex-Trump aide Flynn

By ERIC TUCKER not oppose it. It was not period. He cooperated
Associated Press clear why the Justice De- extensively, leading pros-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The partment appeared to soft- ecutors to initially support
Justice Department said en its position, though pros- a sentence of probation.
Wednesday that it would ecutors did suggest Flynn He was to have been sen-
not oppose probation for deserves credit for his de- tenced the following year,
former Trump administra- cades-long military service. but after he was sharply
tion national security ad- "There is no dispute that the rebuked by the judge dur-
viser Michael Flynn — a defendant has an unusu- ing the sentencing hear-
more lenient stance than ally strong record of public ing, he abruptly asked that
prosecutors took earlier this service," prosecutors wrote. it be postponed so that he
month, when they said he As part of special counsel could continue cooperat-
deserved prison time. Robert Mueller's Russia in- ing with the government in
The latest sentencing filing vestigation, Flynn pleaded hopes of getting additional In this Feb. 1, 2017 file photo, National Security Adviser Michael
still seeks a sentence of up guilty in December 2017 credit for his behavior and Flynn speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House,
six months, but unlike be- to lying to the FBI about avoiding any prison time. in Washington.
fore, prosecutors explicitly his conversations with the Since then, though, he has Associated Press
state that probation would then-Russian ambassador fired his lawyers and re- adversarial approach to- tions of government mis-
be a "reasonable" punish- to the United States during placed them with new ones ward the prosecution. conduct that a judge has
ment and that they would the presidential transition who have taken a sharply They have raised allega- rejected. q