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Run-up to Flynn sentencing tinged with unexpected drama

By ERIC TUCKER and CHAD Paul Manafort of lying to a news media leak. Pe-
DAY them even after he agreed ter Strzok, one of the two
Associated Press to cooperate. Another agents who interviewed
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mi- potential target, Jerome Flynn, was removed from
chael Flynn may have Corsi, leaked draft court Mueller's team and later
given extraordinary coop- documents and accused fired for trading anti-Trump
eration to prosecutors, but Mueller's team of bullying texts with another FBI offi-
the run-up to his sentenc- him. And George Papado- cial.
ing hearing Tuesday has poulos, a Trump campaign Mueller's team has sharply
exposed raw tensions over adviser recently released pushed back at any sug-
an FBI interview in which from a two-week prison gestion that Flynn was
the former national security sentence, has lambasted duped, with prosecutors re-
adviser lied about his Rus- the investigation and pub- sponding in their own sen-
sian contacts. licly claimed that he was tencing memo Friday that
Flynn's lawyers have sug- set up. there was no obligation to
gested that investigators In this July 10, 2018, file photo, former Trump national security Flynn, by contrast, has warn Flynn against lying.
discouraged him from hav- adviser Michael Flynn leaves the federal courthouse in Wash- been notably silent even "A sitting National Security
ing an attorney present ington, following a status hearing. as his supporters advo- (Adviser), former head of
during the January 2017 Associated Press cated a more combative an intelligence agency,
interview and never in- stance. He met privately retired Lieutenant Gen-
formed him it was a crime telling them the truth." sides, and it was especially with investigators 19 times eral, and 33-year veteran
to lie. Prosecutors shot The mere insinuation of striking since prosecutors and provided cooperation of the armed forces knows
back, "He does not need underhanded tactics was with special counsel Rob- so extensive that prosecu- he should not lie to federal
to be warned it is a crime startling given the seem- ert Mueller's office have tors said he was entitled to agents," prosecutors wrote.
to lie to federal agents to ingly productive relation- praised Flynn's coopera- avoid prison altogether. Former FBI Director James
know the importance of ship between the two tion and recommended Then came his sentencing Comey criticized the
against prison time. The de- memo. broadsides on the Flynn
fense arguments spurred Although Flynn and his at- investigation during a
speculation that Flynn may torneys stopped short of Monday appearance on
be trying to get sympa- any direct accusations Capitol Hill, saying, "They're
thy from President Donald of wrongdoing, they took up here attacking the FBI's
Trump or may be playing to pains to note that Flynn, investigation of a guy who
a judge known for a zero- unlike other defendants in pled guilty to lying to the
tolerance view of govern- Mueller's investigation, was FBI." Trump has made no se-
ment misconduct. not informed that it was cret that he sees Mueller's
"It's an attempt, I think, to against the law to lie to the investigation as a "witch
perhaps characterize Flynn FBI. They suggest the FBI, hunt" and has continued to
as a victim or perhaps to which approached Flynn lash out at prosecutors he
make him look sympathet- at the White House just days sees as biased against him
ic in the eyes of a judge — after Trump's inauguration, and those who help them.
and, at the same time, to played to his desire to keep He's shown continued sym-
portray the special counsel the encounter quiet by tell- pathy for Flynn, though,
in a negative light," said ing him the quickest way to calling him a "great person"
former federal prosecutor get the interview done was and asserting — erroneous-
Jimmy Gurule, a University for him to be alone with the ly — that the FBI has said he
of Notre Dame law school agents — rather than in- didn't lie.
professor. volve lawyers. Flynn has not tried to re-
Until the dueling memos They also insinuate that Fly- tract his guilty plea, and
were filed last week, the nn, of Middletown, Rhode there's every indication the
sentencing hearing for Fly- Island, deserves credit for sentencing will proceed as
nn — who pleaded guilty to not publicly seizing on the scheduled.
lying about a conversation fact that FBI officials in- Arun Rao, a former Justice
during the transition period volved in the investigation Department prosecutor in
with the then-Russian am- later came under scrutiny Maryland, said the defense
bassador — was expected themselves. Former Deputy memo is striking because
to be devoid of the drama Director Andrew McCabe, it's "inconsistent" with Flynn's
characterizing other of who contacted Flynn to cooperative stance so far.
Mueller's cases. arrange the interview, was "You also wonder in this
Prosecutors, for instance, fired this year for what the very unusual situation," he
have accused former Justice Department said said, "whether it is a play for
Trump campaign chairman was a lack of candor over a pardon."q