President Trump’s former advisor Mike Flynn plead guilty on Friday to making a false statement to the FBI about his back-channel conversations with Russian officials.
Photographers crowded outside the federal courthouse to snap photos of Flynn turning himself to federal agents Friday morning.
Flynn plead guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations he had with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak. Flynn is the fourth person linked to President Trump to be charged as part of Mueller’s Russia probe.
As part of his plea deal with Mueller, Flynn is expected to testify that candidate Donald Trump “directed him to make contact with the Russians.”
According to an FBI statement, Flynn lied about communicating with then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak after he was asked by a Trump “senior transition official” to find out about Russia’s planned UN Security Council votes on Israeli settlements, according to CNN.com.
Flynn’s son, Michael Flynn Jr., was also investigated by Mueller, but he was not charged on Friday.
In court on Friday morning Flynn apologized for lying and said his actions were wrong. Flynn added: “through my faith in God, I am working to set things right.”
“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. I accept full responsibility for my actions,” he said.
Flynn did not register as a foreign agent, as required by law, when he accepted $530,000 from a Dutch company. He disclosed the payments after registering as a foreign agent retroactively — after he was asked by Trump to be his advisor.
After pleading guilty Flynn was released on a personal recognizance bond. He faces 5 years in prison if convicted.
Flynn’s statements in court sparked hope among Democrats that he would help Mueller impeach President Trump.
But the White House said “nothing about [Flynn’s] guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn.
“The conclusion of this phase of the special counsel’s work demonstrates again that the special counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion,” said Ty Cobb, a White House lawyer.
Photos by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
