In February, I thought Michael Flynn’s departure from the Trump administration was a huge mistake and that it was only going to encourage more attacks:

“I’m shocked and disappointed that Michael Flynn has resigned. It is a huge mistake to feed the beast. This is only going to encourage more vicious attacks on the Trump administration from the Lügenpresse. It shows weakness and it will embolden the enemy. Who cares what these people think? The vast majority of Trump supporters don’t care what conservative pundits think either.

The Deep State and the media got a scalp. It was a double win because HR McMaster became National Security Advisor. It emboldened the media to continue with the Russia narrative which hit a fever pitch after Jared Kushner advised President Trump to fire James Comey in May.

Now, Michael Flynn has a cut a deal with Mueller:

“WASHINGTON — President Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, pleaded guilty on Friday to lying to the F.B.I. about conversations with the Russian ambassador last December, becoming the first senior White House official to cut a cooperation deal in the special counsel’s wide-ranging inquiry into election interference. Mr. Flynn’s discussions with Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, were part of a coordinated effort by Mr. Trump’s aides to create foreign policy before they were in power, documents released as part of Mr. Flynn’s plea agreement show. Their efforts undermined the existing policy of President Barack Obama and flouted a warning from a senior Obama administration official to stop meddling in foreign affairs before the inauguration. … According to prosecutors, on Dec. 22, Mr. Flynn discussed with Mr. Kislyak an upcoming United Nations Security Council vote on whether to condemn Israel’s building of settlements. At the time, the Obama administration was preparing to allow a Security Council vote on the matter. Mr. Mueller’s investigators have learned through witnesses and documents that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel asked the Trump transition team to lobby other countries to help Israel, according to two people briefed on the inquiry. Investigators have learned that Mr. Flynn and Mr. Kushner took the lead in those efforts.”

There is no evidence of “Russian collusion” here. Instead, Flynn was simply trying to put out some fires which were started by the Obama administration which imposed sanctions on Russia during the transition. It also seems Jared Kushner got Michael Flynn to discuss a UN Security Council vote on Israeli settlements with the Russian ambassador. The House of Representatives later passed a resolution to condemn the UN over the Israel settlement vote. If anything is true, the real scandal here is Israel’s power and influence over the US Congress and the incoming Trump administration.

The story was originally that *candidate Trump* instructed Michael Flynn to contact Russian officials. It was later changed to *president-elect Trump* during the transition:

CLARIFICATION of ABC News Special Report: Flynn prepared to testify that President-elect Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians *during the transition* — initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria, confidant now says. https://t.co/ewrkVZBTbc pic.twitter.com/GQAKwT1Eda — ABC News (@ABC) December 2, 2017

Kushner reportedly directed Flynn to call "every member" of the UN Security Council about an Israeli settlements resolution… and the main takeaway is that this is a "Russia scandal" https://t.co/2zBKCdz1LL — Michael Tracey (@mtracey) December 1, 2017

In the words of Van Jones, this is still a giant nothingburger. Michael Flynn should have never been fired. There is no story here except how that colossal mistake is being twisted into a scandal.