“That conversation, and another one two days later between Mr. Flynn’s lawyer and transition lawyers, shows that the Trump team knew about the investigation of Mr. Flynn far earlier than has been previously reported.” New York Time — May 17 2017

May 17 2017 — Michael T. Flynn told President Trump’s transition team weeks before the inauguration that he was under federal investigation for secretly working as a paid lobbyist for Turkey during the campaign. Veteran espionage prosecutor, Brandon Van Grack, is investigating Flynn’s case. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

On March 9 2017 — At the White House press briefing — Fox News’ John Roberts asked Sean Spicer if President Donald Trump was aware that Mike Flynn was working as a foreign agent when he appointed him the National Security Advisor.

The White House press secretary answered that he did not believe that this information was known.

On March 10 2017, INTEL TODAY reported that this statement was no simply true as it was actually well known — prior to his appointment as NSA — that Flynn’s consulting work benefited the government of Turkey. And the White house knew all about it.

Flashback

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn earned over $500,000 last fall for consulting work that benefited the government of Turkey. Flynn did not register as a foreign agent until March 2017, when he finally disclosed the details of his work for a Dutch consulting firm with ties to Turkey’s president.

Prior to his appointment as the National Security Adviser, INTEL TODAY reported the following:

SERIOUS ISSUES — Flynn has potentially problematic connections to foreign governments. His consulting firm has financial ties to Turkey… which perhaps explains why he said that he would extradite Fethullah Gullen…) It has become evident that he has some confirmation-type problems. RELATED POST: Who Could Be Trump’s CIA Director? — Last Man Standing? (UPDATE 17 November 2016)

Sean Spicer: “I Don’t Believe That That Was Known”

John Roberts: “Was the President aware that Lieutenant-General Michael Flynn was acting as a foreign agent when he appointed him to be the National Security Advisor.” Sean Spicer: “I don’t believe that that was known. I would refer you to General Flynn and to the Department of Justice in terms of the filings that have been made.” John Roberts: “Had the President have known that, would he have appointed him?” Sean Spicer: “I do not know. That is a hypothetical. I don’t know what was discussed prior to the appointment in terms of his background, his résumé, his client base. From what I’ve read, he has filed appropriate forms with the Department of Justice ; ask them and subsequently him if you have any questions about the filing.”

Trump Team Knew Flynn Was Under Investigation Before He Came to White House [NYT May 17 2017]

On January 4 2017, Michael T. Flynn told Trump transition team’s chief lawyer Donald F. McGahn II — now the White House counsel — he was under federal investigation for secretly working as a paid lobbyist for Turkey during the campaign.

“That conversation, and another one two days later between Mr. Flynn’s lawyer and transition lawyers, shows that the Trump team knew about the investigation of Mr. Flynn far earlier than has been previously reported.” [NYT]

[NOTE: Veteran espionage prosecutor, Brandon Van Grack, is now leading a grand jury inquiry in Northern Virginia that is scrutinizing Mr. Flynn’s foreign lobbying and has begun issuing subpoenas to businesses that worked with Mr. Flynn and his associates.]

TIMELINE

September 2011 — Flynn is promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. April 17 2012 — President Barack Obama nominates Flynn to be the 18th director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. 2013 — As DIA chief, Flynn visited the GRU headquarters in Moscow. He was the first US officer ever allowed inside its headquarters. A second GRU visit was planned but denied. During this trip, he meets Russian diplomat Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak for the first time. February 2014 — Flynn meets Svetlana Lokhova at Cambridge (CIS) April 30 2014 — Flynn ‘quits’ the Defense Intelligence Agency October 8 2014 — a letter to Flynn from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Office of General Counsel explicitly warns Flynn, as he entered retirement, that he was prohibited by the Constitution from receiving payments from foreign sources without advance permission. Summer 2015 –Flynn meets Trump for the first time after being invited to do so by his team May 2016 — Flynn joins NSO Group as an “adviser” July 15 2016 — Attempted coup in Turkey. Ankara claims Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, masterminded the failed putsch. Extradition requested. Turkey Coup: “CIA Plotters’ Meeting” in Büyükada August 9 2016 — Flynn Intel Group entered into a contract with Inovo, a consulting firm based in the Netherlands. The work focused on Mr. Fethullah Gulen and charter schools in the United States that are associated with Gulen. August 15 2016 — The Flynn – Inovo contract goes into effect. August 15 2016 — Presidential Candidate donald Trump tweets: “I’ve got fresh evidence 13 CIA senior officers helped in Turkey Failed Coup. I will divulge the names in the coming days.” Trump and the Attempted Coup in Turkey : “13 CIA senior officers helped in Failed Coup” August 24 2016 — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Turkey. Biden made it clear that an extradition request is a legal matter, not one for the POTUS to decide. September 9 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $200k September 19 2016 — Flynn met with senior representatives of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government at the Essex House hotel in New York City. Extradition of Gulen discussed. The Turkish officials are Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Energy Minister Berat Albayrak who is the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. October [x] 2016 — Flynn Intel officials presented some of their ‘anti-Gulen’ research to the House Homeland Security Committee. October 10 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $185k November 8 2016 — Suspicions about Flynn’s ties to the Turkish government were sparked by an op-ed he wrote in the Hill. Flynn calls Gulen ‘shady’ and endorses his extradition. November 10 2016 — Mike Flynn calling for the extradition of Gulen November 10, 2016 — Obama warned Trump about Flynn during their Oval Office meeting November 15 2016 — Inovo BV Payments to Flynn Intel Group $145k November 17 2016 — President-elect Trump intends to pick Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn to be his National Security Advisor November 18 2016 — Flynn becomes Trump’s NSA November 30 2016 — The Justice Department notified Mr. Flynn that it was scrutinizing his lobbying work (Turkey) December 17 2016 — Three experts — including former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove — unexpectedly resigned from their positions at the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar (CIS), amid concerns that the Kremlin is behind a newly-established intelligence journal, which provides funding for CIS. December 28 2016 — Flynn sends text message to Russia Amb. Kislyak to wish him a Merry Christmas. December 28 2016 — Russia Amb. Kislyak replies asking if they can talk on the phone? December 29 2016 — US expels Russian diplomats over cyber attack allegations. The Obama administration said the GRU is responsible for the DNC hack. December 29 2016 — Flynn and Russia Amb. Kislyak phone calls (5?). US sanctions are discussed. December 30 2016 — Putin announced that he would not retaliate. Trump praised Putin for the decision, writing in a Twitter post, “Great move on delay (by V.Putin). I always knew he was very smart!” January 4 2017 — Flynn told Trump transition team’s chief lawyer Donald F. McGahn II he was under federal investigation for secretly working as a paid lobbyist for Turkey January 5 2017 — “Effective immediately, Ambassador Woolsey is no longer a Senior Advisor to President-Elect Trump or the Transition.”Woolsey said on CNN that he did not want to “fly under false colors” any longer. January 24 2017 — Mike Flynn interviewed by the FBI (At the White House; No lawyer) January 24 2017 —Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, again raised the issue with FBI Comey, who now backed away from his opposition to informing the White House. January 26 2017 — Yates and a senior career national security official spoke to McGahn, the White House counsel. Yates tells the White House counsel that Flynn is vulnerable to blackmail by Russian intelligence.Yates considered Flynn’s comments in the intercepted call with Russia Amb. Kislyak to be “highly significant” and “potentially illegal” January 27 2017 — Yates and McGahn second meeting. McGahn wants to know 4 Things. Why the DOJ cares? Is there a criminal case? Could the White House decision be interpreted as interference? What and where is the evidence against Flynn? January 27 2017 — Trump invites Comey for dinner. Trump requests “pledge of loyalty”. January 30 2017 — Sally Yates dismissed by President Trump February 13 2017 — (Monday night) National Security Adviser Mike Flynn resigns February 14 2017 — Trump asks Comey to drop the investigation on Flynn March 8 2017 — Flynn Intel Group Inc filed retroactive documents with the Department of Justice to register as a foreign agent. March 20 2017 — In testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, Comey confirmed that the FBI has been investigating possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia March 24 2017 — WSJ breaks the news of the September 19 meeting (Woolsey). The meeting was however mentioned in the documents filed on March 8 2017. March 25 2017 — Julliette Kayyem (CNN) suggests Flynn made a deal with the FBI May 3 2017 — In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Comey said that Russia is the “greatest threat of any nation on Earth … One of the biggest lessons learned is that Russia will do this again. Because of 2016 election, they know it worked.” He also said that Russia should pay a price for interfering May 9 2017 — CNN reported that a grand jury had begun issuing subpoenas to associates of Michael Flynn May 9 2017 — Comey is dismissed by President Trump May 10 2017 —The Senate Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to Mike Flynn May 11 2017 — Comey had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on May 11, but after he was dismissed on May 9, committee chair Senator Richard Burr said that Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe would appear instead. May 16 2017 — Memos reveal Trump asked FBI Comey to drop Flynn investigation May 17 2017 — Robert Mueller appointed special Prosecutor

INTERVIEW — Trump Team Knew Flynn Was Under Investigation Before He Came to White House

REFERENCES

Donald Trump unaware Michael Flynn was a ‘foreign agent’, Sean Spicer says — Guardian

Trump Team Knew Flynn Was Under Investigation Before He Came to White House — NYT May 17 2017

Sean Spicer: “I don’t believe that that was known.”

Published on Mar 9, 2017 — Press Secretary Sean Spicer got a question from Fox’s John Roberts at today’s press briefing about whether the White House was aware Michael Flynn was acting as a foreign agent when he was chosen to be the National Security Advisor, in response to revelations that Flynn was paid over $500,000 for consulting work that may have benefited the Turkish government. Spicer responded, “I don’t believe that that was known.”

Spicer Grilled On Flynn Resignation – White House Press Conference Q & A

Published on Feb 14, 2017 — White House press secretary Sean Spicer is asked multiple questions about the resignation of Donald Trump’s national security advisor Michael Flynn. Spicer says Flynn did nothing illegal, but Trump’s trust of him had eroded so he asked for his resignation.

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Sean Spicer just told a whopper about Foreign Agent Mike Flynn — UPDATE: NYT Confirmed