Breaking: DOJ dropping Flynn case, per AP

[MelissaB]

AP Exclusive: Justice Dept dropping Flynn’s criminal case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday said it is dropping the criminal case against President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, abandoning a prosecution that became a rallying cry for Trump and his supporters in attacking the FBI’s Russia investigation.

The move is a stunning reversal for one of the signature cases brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. It comes even though prosecutors for the last three years had maintained that Flynn had lied to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in a January 2017 interview. Flynn himself admitted as much, and became a key cooperator for Mueller as he investigated ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.

In court documents being filed Thursday, the Justice Department said it is dropping the case “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information.” The documents were obtained by The Associated Press.

The Justice Department said it had concluded that Flynn’s interview by the FBI was “untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn” and that the interview on January 24, 2017 was “conducted without any legitimate investigative basis.”

The U.S. attorney reviewing the Flynn case, Jeff Jensen, recommended the move to Attorney General William Barr last week and formalized the recommendation in a document this week.

“Through the course of my review of General Flynn’s case, I concluded the proper and just course was to dismiss the case,” Jensen said in a statement. “I briefed Attorney General Barr on my findings, advised him on these conclusions, and he agreed.”

More: https://apnews.com/ae1ad252bb13490db2ceffc5d17b6d92?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP

Link to tweet

"In court documents being filed Thursday, DOJ said it is dropping the case “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information.” The documents were obtained by The AP."

Link to tweet

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Fuck you, Bill Barr. nt

[JCMach1]

35. This right here...

[onecaliberal]

2. Holy fucking shit.

[mr_lebowski]

3. That is some bullshit right there ...

Expected of course ... everything Barr does is bullshit.

[shanti]

4. Next in line

is Roger Stone. Isn't he supposed to be in jail by now??

[madamesilverspurs]

5. DOJ needs to be on a ventilator. STAT.

[bluestarone]

6. Can it be refiled later?

SOOOO fucking bullshit!

[Sanity Claws]

7. But there is a judgment already entered

My understanding is that Flynn pleaded guilty and that a judgment was entered. Right? If so, DOJ can withdraw but that does not affect the judgment already entered.
Also, wouldn't the court have to approve the withdrawal?

[totodeinhere]

28. Flynn got a new legal team and they filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

n/t

[Sanity Claws]

37. A motion

So if the DOJ withdraws, the motion is still pending and the court makes a decision.
This judge has already come down hard on Flynn. I doubt that he will simply let DOJ walk away.

[totodeinhere]

45. I have a lot of questions about this situation.

I am not a lawyer. Since he has made a motion to withdraw the guilty plea, does that mean that if that motion is granted then any court actions taken based on his guilty plea would also be withdrawn, or not?

[MelissaB]

8. Updated with article

[Me.]

22. I May Have Missed It

but I don't see where that question is answered

[Quixote1818]

9. Biden's DOJ will just have to re-open it in 8 months. nt

[EleanorR]

10. Flynn is a traitor to his country

We no longer have a functioning DOJ.

[Goodheart]

11. Corrupt motherfuckers.

[Me.]

12. How Can They Drop A Case When The Defendant Has Pleaded Guilty?

Can it be revisited?

[grantcart]

23. ??

[grantcart]

25. Guessing they have to request Judge to withdraw the plea.

[totodeinhere]

30. The request to withdraw the guilty plea was filed some time ago. n/t

[Me.]

39. Just Heard

Judge is in the drivers seat and it's up to him and doesn't matter what the DOj did. Also, this judge is not a pushover.

[PRETZEL]

43. Question,

Could Judge Sullivan call the DOJ attorneys into chambers to explain the basis for this decision?

I do know he's rightly pissed at Flynn and all the different legal teams he's had so this might throw him over the edge.

[Me.]

47. I Believe He Can Do Anything He Wants

[grantcart]

48. They had already requested to withdraw the prosecutors and I believe

He declined the request

[Claustrum]

27. He pleaded guilty but shortly withdrawn it

He never cooperated with the cooperation. Flynn was in there to get information about the whole investigation for Trump. Flynn was in talk with Trump the whole time and gave information about the scope of the investigation to Trump.

After he got the information he needed, he tried to withdraw the plead and argue that he was forced into it.

[Me.]

40. It's Up To The Judge

He has the final say

[Bradshaw3]

13. No longer a nation of laws

Not for drumpf and his cronies, or his followers for that matter. Pardons, judge rulings, Department of Injustice. They can lie to the FBI, use their power to fuck over Democratic pols and poliies, threaten and attack people in stores and on the streets, refuse to follow or enforce laws they don't like, and practice corruption openly to a degree never seen in this country. Remember those who told us the judges would follow the law? Or that everything was going to be ok? Well it's not and hasn't been since before he took office. Anyone who thinks otherwise has got their head in the sand.

[GoCubsGo]

14. Who didn't see this coming from miles away?

I want nothing more than to see Bill Barr spend the rest of his miserable life in prison.

[BComplex]

34. I do too. Barr should be in prison for life after all he's done.

Maybe he'll get a really bad, irreversible case of the virus.

[Hoyt]

15. Obvious this would happen when the ". . . . . . or to get him to lie" note came out.

[still_one]

16. These are ads that should be used against the republicans

[Sogo]

17. Barr carrying Trump's water again.

This way, Trump won't have to pardon....

[Celerity]

18. the rationale is complete Trump 'deep state' bullshit

[LeftInTX]

19. This is what I expect from this corrupt regime

[MelissaB]

20. Attorney says, "Only the judge can vacate the plea agreement. Barr can't do anything to it."

Link to tweet

[Claustrum]

32. I hope the attorney is right

But time and time again, I am told by some "expert" that Trump can't do certain things. Then Trump does it anyways and get away with it.

I am sorry, I won't believe it until I see it. My assumption is Flynn will walk.

[grantcart]

49. He is correct . DOJ requested replacing Prosecutors. Judge did not agree.

[still_one]

21. Jill Stein is thrilled

[Budi]

24. THIS ⬆️

Stein & all her Libertarian/Green staff & supporters.

[underpants]

26. Unfucking believeable

[greytdemocrat]

50. I know!

I can't believe this either!

[ScratchCat]

29. Judge has to vacate plea, DOJ can't just drop the case

Nice try by Barr, though

[crickets]

31. Are we being distracted from anything in particular today? nt

[BComplex]

33. Holy crap!!! This is an outrage!

I can't believe that this is being allowed.

[IcyPeas]

36. trump just said this:

Asked about DOJ petition to dismiss case against Michael Flynn, Pres Trump just told press pool that he felt that would happen. Calls Flynn an innocent man and a great gentleman. Again said of those who set out to get Flynn: "they're scum."

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

38. Arggh

I am shocked. this is how a third world country operates

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Paladin]

41. Fuck this country. (nt)

[DFW]

42. No wonder Trump is pounding on the Supreme Court's door.

It's more than just the sun that he doesn't want to come out.

[Catherine Vincent]

44. This is such bs

I knew that wanker would get off.

[sunonmars]

46. There is no reliable law system anymore, corrupt to the core with GOP lackeys.

This is now going to get worse, they are going to throw every barrier in our way for Nov.

We may get to the point of mass insurrection to stop this.

The WH and the Justice Dept are lawless and corrupt to the core.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

51. That's one guy out without Trump having to pardon him.

That removes one issue the Dems could have used against Fat Donnie, and gives him another stick to beat the FBI with.

Barr is doing exactly what he was hired to do.