UPDATED: Government Asks For 6 Months Jail Time For Flynn
This is shameful, but Flynn should never have insistently claimed under oath that he was guilty. OTOH, it's time that judges faced up to the reality of plea deals rather than living in a fantasy world:
Flynn case update:
DOJ reverses prior recommendation and asks that Flynn be incarcerated for 0-6 months.
They previously asked for no jail time. pic.twitter.com/kbDoh86K0u
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) January 7, 2020
DOJ takes back its previous position that Flynn substantially assisted the Gov't.
December 2018: Flynn provided substantial assistance.
January 2020: Flynn "has not substantially assisted the Government." pic.twitter.com/ovmeeL05GG
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) January 7, 2020
This part of the government memo is rather remarkable:
Prosecutors noted in a Tuesday filing that while Flynn "has sought to assist and aid the government," there were periods "where the defendant has sought to thwart the efforts of the government to hold other individuals, principally Bijan Rafiekian, accountable for criminal wrongdoing."
Recall that the jury verdict against Rafiekian was tossed by the trial judge . According to that judge:
“The evidence was insufficient as a matter of law for the jury to convict Rafiekian on either count”
The Government “failed to offer substantial evidence” that Rafiekian acted as an agent of a foreign government”
“There is no substantial evidence” that he agreed to cooperate subject to the direction/control of Turkey; no evidence of any implied agreement w/ Turkey.
Naturally Flynn's lawyer, Sidney Powell, should take strong exception to the claim that Flynn should be punished for failing to assist a prosecution that was thrown out as insufficient as a matter of law.
UPDATES:
Reminder: Flynn was cooperating with the Gov't's FARA violation case against Rafikian right up until the moment the corrupt prosecutors directed him to lie under oath.
— RussiaGate Was 100% Fake SpyGate Is 100% Real (@drawandstrike) January 7, 2020
NEW per Flynn attorney @SidneyPowell1 : "The government seeks to punish Mr. Flynn for telling the truth when it wasn’t what the prosecutors wanted to hear. This is outrageous."#michaelflynnhttps://t.co/gjXUXqjitF
— Brooke Singman (@brookefoxnews) January 7, 2020