Donald Trump’s former national security adviser offers to testify in Russia investigation
Michael Flynn has sought immunity in exchange for his testimony on Moscow’s alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.
Former United States National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on Thursday offered to testify before the Federal Bureau of Investigation and congressional intelligence committees in their ongoing investigation into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential elections. He has demanded immunity against prosecution in exchange for his testimony, CNN reported.
Flynn’s lawyer Robert Kelner released a statement, saying, “General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit...No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicised, witch-hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution.”
In 2016, Flynn had a different view of immunity, as the Democrats were quick to point out after the new development. “When you are given immunity, that means that you have probably committed a crime,” he had said in reference to the investigation into former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email investigation.
The statement was released after The Wall Street Journal reported that Flynn was in talks with both federal and congressional investigators seeking immunity for his word, but neither party had agreed to his caveat yet. While there has been no comment from the White House and US Senate, aides to the House of Representatives’ intelligence committee said they had not received any request from Flynn yet.
The former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump had resigned on February 13 after it emerged that he had misinformed Vice President Mike Pence about his talks on the country’s sanctions with Russia. While Flynn had earlier told Pence that he had not discussed lifting US sanctions with Russia, it was later found that the matter had, in fact, cropped up in conversation with the Russian ambassador.
Trump and his associates have repeatedly denied claims that they had colluded with Russia ahead of the 2016 US presidential elections. However, speculation on the subject has only grown since he was sworn in on January 20. On March 2, Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions had recused himself from all investigations related to Russian involvement in the polls, after it was reported that as Trump’s campaign aide, he had held meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak twice last year.