Threat Management, Threat Intelligence

Flynn offers to talk Russian ties under immunity

Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has offered to be interviewed about his ties to Russia in exchange for immunity, the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday.

Noting in a statement, that "Flynn has a story to tell" if "the circumstances permit," his lawyer, Robert Kelner said, "No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution." 

Flynn resigned earlier this year under a swirl of allegations that he discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of those discussions. The FBI and the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are all investigating Russian's interference in the U.S. presidential election.

House Intelligence Committee Ranking Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.,noting in a Friday statement that it was "a grave step for a National Security Advisor to ask for immunity," said, "there is still much work and many more witnesses and documents to obtain before any immunity request from any witness can be considered."

Schiff noted that the committee would have to have some idea what Flynn's testimony would include and indicated the Justice Department's investigation would take precedence. "While Mr. Flynn's testimony is of great interest to our committee, we are deeply mindful of the interests of the Justice Department in the matter," he said. In a tweet posted earlier in the day, Schiff said the public would get more details on why Flynn wanted immunity "when Sally Yates testifies before the House Intelligence Committee." Yates, the former acting attorney general who warned the White House that Flynn might have been compromised and was fired shortly there after for instructing Justice Department employees not to enforce Trump's immigration ban, was set to testify before the committee earlier this week until Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., abruptly canceled the hearing. 

The Senate Intelligence Committee nixed Flynn's offer for the time-being, NBC News reported Friday.

UPDATE: This story has been updated to include responses to Flynn's offer to testify in exchange for immunity from the Rep. Adam Schiff and the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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