Michael Flynn is currently pursuing immunity in exchange for his testimony in the ongoing Russia probe, even though he once had a very different view on what requesting immunity signifies.
The former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, who resigned in February, once said, “When you are given immunity, that means you probably committed a crime.” Flynn made the statement in September 2016 on NBC’s Meet the Press when discussing reports that aides to former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had been granted immunity in exchange for cooperating in the FBI’s investigation into her private emails.
“General Flynn certainly has a story to tell and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit,” said Flynn’s attorney, Robert Kelner, in a statement Thursday. Kelner said no “reasonable person” with legal counsel would answer questions without assurances that he would not be prosecuted.
Trump took to Twitter on Friday morning to defend Flynn’s request, saying the former general should ask for immunity because the ongoing investigation “is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!”
Trump, however, had also criticized Clinton’s aides for seeking immunity while he was on the campaign trail.
“The reason they get immunity is because they did something wrong. If they didn’t do anything wrong, they don’t think in terms of immunity,” he said at a rally in Wisconsin, also in September of 2016. The day prior, while at a Florida rally, he asked: “If you are not guilty of a crime, what do you need immunity for? Right.”
Flynn resigned after less than one month in office after he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia.
Since July, the FBI has been conducting an investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election and any ties between Trump associates. The House and Senate intelligence committees are currently investigating.
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