See? This here in The Washington Post? This is the way you get yourself in trouble.

Rule No. 1—Don't lie to the Feds.

Rule No. 2—When in doubt, consult Rule No. 1.

The Jan. 24 interview potentially puts Flynn in legal jeopardy, as lying to the FBI is a felony, but any decision to prosecute would ultimately lie with the Justice Department. Some officials said bringing a case could prove difficult in part because Flynn may attempt to parse the definition of sanctions. A spokesman for Flynn said he had no response. The FBI declined to comment.Flynn spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak following Trump's election, and denied for weeks that the December conversation involved sanctions the Obama administration imposed on Russia in response to its meddling in the U.S. election. In a recent interview with the Daily Caller, Flynn said he didn't discuss "sanctions" but did discuss the Obama administration's expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, which were part of the sanctions package it announced on Dec. 29.

Any investigation of this matter will put new Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III in a tough spot. He and Flynn were the very first Republicans of any stature to climb on board the train. And, of course, in the ordinary course of events, the investigation would be handed over to the FBI which is still run by super-patriot James Comey, who might also face congressional questions as to what did he know, when did he know it, and why he didn't write a public letter to Congress about it 11 days before the election?

I sincerely hope that Flynn tries to parse what "sanctions" means. Federal judges love that stuff.

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Charles P. Pierce Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976.

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