Global lobbying firm hires ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn; attorneys say not so fast

Kevin Johnson | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – An international lobbying firm announced the hiring of convicted former national security adviser Michael Flynn Tuesday, even as the retired Army lieutenant general awaited sentencing for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.

Yet hours after the move was made public by the newly-constituted Stonington Global LLC – on the same day that Flynn appeared in federal court to discuss an expedited sentencing schedule – Flynn's attorneys said the timing of the hiring announcement appeared to be premature.

"Gen. Flynn has not joined Stonington and did not personally issue any public statement," attorneys Robert Kelner and Stephen Anthony said in a joint statement late Tuesday. "He (Flynn) was aware that a statement was being drafted, but he did not intend that it be issued at this time. Its issuance now in his name appears to have been the result of a misunderstanding."

Indeed, the Stonington statement, issued by founding partners Nick Muzin and Joey Allaham, included a detailed description of Flynn's new duties as director of global strategy and comments "provided" by the retired general who said he was "excited to begin this new phase of my career."

Flynn, who had been one of President Donald Trump's most vocal surrogates in his 2016 campaign, spent just over three weeks as national security adviser before fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Russia.

Asked about the statement from Flynn's attorneys, Muzin said he was unable to comment on the general's "considerations about the timing of the announcement" but still looked forward to "working together."

The confusing nature of Flynn's status only raised more questions about the international firm's interest in Flynn.

Muzin and Allaham did not comment on Flynn's unresolved legal status nor on his dismissal from the White House last year.

"We are proud to welcome Gen. Flynn to our firm and are delighted to be able to draw on his years of military and national security experience to better serve our clients," Muzin said in the initial statement. He later referred to the company's representation of the state of Qatar and the successful efforts to broker an Oval Office meeting for Qatari government officials.

Flynn's hiring was first reported earlier Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal.

Tuesday's court hearing and its consideration of a sentencing schedule, meanwhile, signaled that Flynn was wrapping up his cooperation agreement with the government.

Eager to move on

It was Flynn's first court appearance since December when he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The general did not speak, but Kelner said his client is "eager" to move on with his life.

As part of his agreement to plead guilty, Flynn had pledged to assist Mueller's prosecutors in the ongoing investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Flynn's cooperation is nearing an end at a potentially key juncture in the Russia inquiry, with President Donald Trump's lawyers still sparring over whether they will submit to an interview with Mueller's team and as Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, weighs whether he will cooperate with federal prosecutors investigating his business dealings in a separate federal inquiry. If Cohen agrees to cooperate, whatever relevant information he could provide would likely be shared with Mueller's team.

Sentencing considerations for Flynn also come as the government prepares for two trials involving former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort.

Manafort sits in a Virginia jail cell awaiting his first trial later this month on bank and tax fraud charges. A related trial has been set in the District of Columbia in September on money laundering charges.

It was not immediately clear from Tuesday's brief hearing before U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan what continuing obligation remained for Flynn before a sentencing hearing could be scheduled in the case.

"General Flynn very much wants to bring this chapter to (an) end," Kelner told Sullivan, as he sought to expedite a required pre-sentence report by federal probation officers in advance of any hearing.

Sullivan said he would consider such a move next month if Flynn had finished his work for Mueller's team.

Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents, claiming that he did not ask Kislyak to delay a vote on a pending United Nations Security Council resolution critical of Israeli settlements.

Prosecutors also asserted that Flynn lied to agents about a Dec. 29, 2016 conversation about how Russia might respond to sanctions the U.S. government had levied over its election meddling. President Obama imposed those sanctions Dec. 28; the same day, Kislyak contacted Flynn to discuss how the Russian government would respond.

Flynn arrived at the courthouse Tuesday morning with his wife, Lori, where small groups of rival protesters waved signs and shouted both words of encouragement and derision at the former general.

Some revived a variation of the same chant Flynn led two years ago at the Republican National Convention when he referred to then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

"Lock him up!" some shouted as Flynn's group walked to a waiting car and drove away.