Page 2 - AT

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 19 december 2018
H
Here is your chance! WIN TWO FREE TICKETS toere is your chance! WIN TWO FREE TICKETS to
t
the ULTIMATE 3 NIGHTS Caribbean paradise he ULTIMATE 3 NIGHTS Caribbean paradise
V
VACATION at the PRESTIGIOUSACATION at the PRESTIGIOUS
A
ARUBA MARRIOTT RESORT AND CASINO*RUBA MARRIOTT RESORT AND CASINO*
OUR OFFER INCLUDES:
*Welcome gift bag
*Three dinner coupons
*$1000 shopping coupon valid at
either of our locations

Flynn sentencing abruptly postponed; judge expresses disgust

By ERIC TUCKER and CHAD our great and, obviously, other investigations in the
DAY highly successful political future, Sullivan warned Fly-
WASHINGTON (AP) — A campaign. There was no nn that he might not get
federal judge abruptly Collusion!" the full credit for his assis-
postponed the sentencing At the White House after- tance to the government
of President Donald Trump's ward, press secretary Sarah if he were sentenced as
first national security advis- Huckabee Sanders was scheduled.
er, Michael Flynn, on Tues- asked if the administration Prosecutors noted that Fly-
day, saying he could not had changed its stance on nn had provided the "vast
hide his disgust for Flynn's Flynn or the FBI in light of his majority of his cooperation"
crime of lying to the FBI and admissions and guilty plea. already. But Sullivan gave
accusing him of selling out "Maybe he did do those a visibly shaken Flynn a
his country. things, but it doesn't have chance to discuss a delay
Lawyers for Flynn, a retired anything to do with the of the hearing with his law-
Army lieutenant general President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor Mi- president," she said. "It's yers, and the court went
who pleaded guilty last chael Flynn who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his perfectly acceptable for into a brief recess.
year to lying to the agency contacts with Russia during the presidential transition, arrives for the president to make a When they returned, Flynn
his sentencing at the U.S. District Court in Washington, Tuesday,
about his Russia contacts, Dec. 18, 2018. positive comment about lawyer Robert Kelner de-
requested the delay during Associated Press somebody while we wait to fended Flynn's cooperation
a stunning hearing in which see what the court's deter- but requested a postpone-
U.S. District Judge Emmet his attorneys. send Flynn to prison — an mination is." ment to allow for him to
Sullivan gave Flynn a blis- The judge added: "I can't unexpected development Sanders repeated her al- keep cooperating. Kelner
tering rebuke. hide my disgust, my dis- since prosecutors have rec- legation that the FBI "am- said he expected Flynn
"Arguably you sold your dain." ommended against prison bushed" Flynn in an inter- would have to testify in a
country out," Sullivan told Sullivan's harsh words raised time, citing his cooperation view in which he denied related trial in Virginia in-
Flynn, who was flanked by the prospect that he could in special counsel Robert contacts with Russian of- volving Flynn's former busi-
Mueller's Russia probe. ficials, and she said of ness associates, and the
The delay allows Flynn to Trump's earlier criticism, defense wanted to "eke
continue cooperating with "We don't have any reason out the last modicum of co-
the Russia probe and get to want to walk that back." operation" so he could get
credit for it in his punish- The new delay in sentenc- credit in any sentence.
ment. ing upset what had been Kelner asked Sullivan not
The hearing came amid a carefully crafted agree- to penalize Flynn for argu-
escalating legal peril for ment, with Mueller's office ments his lawyers made
Trump, who was implicat- saying Flynn had already in sentencing memos that
ed by federal prosecutors provided "the vast majority" appeared to suggest the
in New York this month in of information he could. FBI had tricked Flynn into
hush-money payments to Flynn, who served as na- lying. He said they only in-
cover up extramarital af- tional security adviser for cluded those to differenti-
fairs. Nearly a half-dozen only a few weeks, was to ate Flynn from other defen-
former aides and advisers be the first White House of- dants in the case who had
— including Flynn — have ficial sentenced in Mueller's received short prison sen-
pleaded guilty or agreed investigation. Prosecutors tences for lying.
to cooperate with prosecu- had praised his coopera- But Sullivan fired back.
tors. tion and recommended "Neither of those individuals
Flynn became known dur- against prison, and Tues- were a high-ranking official
ing the Trump presiden- day's sentencing was ex- who committed a crime
tial campaign for leading pected to be relatively while in the West Wing
chants of "Lock her up" straightforward. Flynn had and on the premises of the
during rallies, referring to expected to walk out the White House," the judge
Trump's rival Hillary Clinton. courthouse a free man. said.
Trump signaled his contin- But the hearing turned on At the hearing, Sullivan told
ued close interest in the a dime. Sullivan lambasted Flynn that he would take
case by tweeting "good Flynn for lying to the FBI in into account his extensive
luck" to Flynn hours before the West Wing of the White cooperation with the gov-
the sentencing hearing. House and said he wouldn't ernment, which includes 19
He added: "Will be interest- allow Flynn to minimize the meetings with investigators
ing to see what he has to seriousness of his crime. as well as a 33-year military
say, despite tremendous After a prosecutor raised career that included ser-
pressure being put on him, the prospect of Flynn's con- vice in Iraq and Afghani-
about Russian Collusion in tinued cooperation with stan. q