Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI on Friday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham stressed the importance of allowing special counsel Robert Mueller to continue his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

WASHINGTON – Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham stressed the importance of letting special counsel Robert Mueller continue to do his job without interference in his investigation of Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.

After news broke Friday morning that former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn would plead guilty to lying to FBI agents about contact with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Graham said Mueller “got somebody who was intricately part of the campaign and the administration,” adding that it still does not count as “collusion.”

“So all the guilty pleas and all the charges thus far have not included an allegation of colluding as a campaign with the Russians,” Graham told reporters. “But this is the way the process works and Mr. Mueller is doing his job and it’s important that he can continue to do his job.”

Graham also told CNN’s Manu Raju that an attempt by President Donald Trump to get involved in Flynn’s case would be unwise.

“I would urge him not to pardon Michael Flynn but that will be up to the president,” Graham said.

Flynn said in a statement Friday that he is “working to set things right.”

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“My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel’s Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country,” Flynn said. “I accept full responsibility for my actions.”