President Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn will not be sentenced yet on charges of lying to the FBI in the Russia investigation.
A federal judge indefinitely postponed that sentencing on Monday, weeks after Flynn withdrew the guilty plea he entered more than two years ago, Fox News reported.
Though Flynn’s sentencing was set for Feb. 27, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan announced Monday that he was canceling the hearing “until further order of the court.”
#FLYNN @CBSNews Federal Judge grants the parties extra time to brief on Flynn’s motion to withdraw guilty plea, sentencing scheduled for later this month cancelled. Judge has not assigned another date at this time. A status report on the motion to withdraw is now due on the 20th.
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) February 10, 2020
The move came one day after a motion was filed by federal prosecutors to delay deadlines that were approaching in the case, as they sought more information from Flynn’s former lawyers. The former national security adviser, who plead guilty to lying under oath to FBI agents, dismissed the previous D.C. law firm, Covington & Burling, which was representing him, saying they did not serve him adequately.
“The government requests that the Court suspend the current briefing schedule concerning the defendant’s [motion] until such time as the government has been able to confer with Covington regarding the information it seeks,” prosecutors wrote in the motion filed Sunday. “While Covington has indicated a willingness to comply with this request, it has understandably declined to do so in the absence of a Court order confirming the waiver of attorney-client privilege.”
After the Justice Department moved to recommend up to six months of prison time, Flynn withdrew his guilty plea and cited “bad faith” by the government.
“The prosecution has shown abject bad faith in pure retaliation against Mr. Flynn since he retained new counsel,” Flynn’s new attorneys wrote. “This can only be because, with new, unconflicted counsel, Mr. Flynn refused to lie for the prosecution.”
Deadlines for more filings were set through March by Sullivan, who indicated that a hearing could also be set on Flynn’s request to withdraw his guilty plea. The retired Army general could face a maximum of five years in prison if found guilty on the felony charge of making false-statements, though prosecutors recommended no more than six months behind bars.
News of the decision in Flynn’s case came as federal prosecutors recommended longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone be served with a jail sentence of up to nine years on his conviction on false statements and witness tampering charges.
Conservative radio show host and political commentator Buck Sexton remarked last month that Flynn needs to be pardoned by the president, a sentiment echoed by many of Flynn’s supporters.
“I think this whole thing is a scam, it’s a sham, it should never have happened,” he told Fox News., pointing to former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe who also allegedly lied to federal agents but has not been sentenced for a crime.
Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, citing a Fox News story on Flynn’s case, tweeted that “It’s Time for Judge Sullivan and DOJ to End the Torture of Gen. Flynn.”
It’s Time for Judge Sullivan and DOJ to End the Torture of Gen. Flynn: Federal judge indefinitely postpones sentencing of Michael Flynn https://t.co/RlCWm08yne #FoxNews #MAGA @realDonaldTrump #AmericaFirst #Dobbs
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) February 11, 2020
“This travesty of Justice has lasted too long,” Sebastian Gorka tweeted, adding that he should then sue the FBI
“into the ground.”
This travesty of Justice has lasted too long.
Charges against @GenFlynn need to be dismissed NOW!
Then he and @SidneyPowell1 need to sue the @FBI into the ground. Along with all of @BarackObama’s cronies. https://t.co/x87c8TjnSV
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) February 11, 2020
Others also saw the decision by the judge as a telling sign.
Judge cancels Michael Flynn sentencing
@GenFlynn and @SidneyPowell1 are fighting the good fight and the tide seems to be turning in their favor.
This will be the case that exposes just how deep the coup runs. https://t.co/DZJQLNrQ70
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) February 11, 2020
I’m praying that @realDonaldTrump pardons Gen. Michael Flynn and Roger Stone. This is a gross injustice and political attack. https://t.co/cxAb8RKBYU
— Pastor Mark Burns (@pastormarkburns) February 11, 2020
President Donald Trump should pardon General Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, and George Papadopoulos. All of them went through hell because of Robert Mueller’s witch hunt. pic.twitter.com/vARgCV6FoF
— ConservativeAmerican (@conservusa1980s) February 11, 2020
Indefinitely postpones?? So he has this case hanging over his head forever?? Wth!!!! Gen Flynn and his family have been through enough
— Shurrie Pennington (@ShurrieP) February 11, 2020
The way General Flynn has been treated is disgusting.
— MSG (R) Fonceca (@FoncecaMsg) February 11, 2020
DOJ is a disgrace! While all the coup plotters get book deals!
— JM TX MAGA?? (@JMuser16) February 11, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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