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Hello on this brisk Tuesday morning from the federal courthouse in DC, where former national security advisor Michael Flynn is due for sentencing at 11 a.m. He's asking for no prison time. The special counsel's office says they're okay with that. Will the judge agree? 
Flynn served briefly as Trump's first national security advisor until he resigned in Feb. 2017 amid questions about whether he had lied to Pence and others about his comms during the transition with the (now former) Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak
On Dec. 1, 2017, he pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about those Kislyak comms during an interview on Jan. 24, 2017 buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil… Last night, we got more info on that, see this thread:
Flynn agreed to cooperate with the government however they needed him as part of his plea deal, and that's what he's been doing over the past year. Mueller's office said he provided "substantial assistance," so they were okay with no prison time buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
Flynn then filed his sentencing memo, unsurprisingly asking for no prison time. He argued his situation was different from the other Mueller defendants who also pleaded guilty to lying and then went to prison (Papadopoulos and van der Zwaan) buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
Flynn's lawyers also suggested that maybe he was coerced into lying to the FBI, something that Mueller's office did not take kindly to
Michael Flynn is in the courthouse, he just walked by where we're waiting to go into the courtroom, flanked by his family and lawyers. Didn't stop or say anything, just hustled past to another part of the floor (the courtroom isn't open yet)
The president has his eye on court today
I'll be in the courtroom for Flynn's sentencing, which sadly means no phones. But keep an eye on @BuzzFeedNews for breaking news, as well as some of my excellent colleagues posted in the media room. And I'll have a full dispatch when it's all said and done. Stay tuned.
The judge is taking a recess until 12:30pm to give Flynn more time to talk to his lawyers. This is after the judge said that because Flynn might not be done cooperating, the judge can't consider full extent of cooperation. The judge proceeded to *lay into* Flynn for what he did
Judge, after noting Flynn lied and acted as an unregistered foreign agent (for Turkey): "Arguably, that undermines everything that this flag over here stands for. Arguably, you sold your country out."
"I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense"
"I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense"
The judge asked prosecutor Brandon Van Grack if Flynn could have been charged with treason for his convos with the Russian ambassador. Van Grack said that in terms of the evidence, that wasn't something the govt was considering charging at the time
The judge repeatedly asked Flynn if he still wanted to plead guilty, and for most of the first part of the hearing he said he did. It was only after the judge expressed his "disgust" with Flynn's crime that Flynn took up the offer to speak with his lawyers
Michael Flynn and his lawyers are now back in the courtroom (and I'm in the media room, hence the internet access). We're about to find out if Flynn wants to still go ahead with sentencing today
STORY, Part I: A Federal Judge Told Michael Flynn "Arguably You Sold Your Country Out" At His Sentencing buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
The judge is back on the bench, here we go
The judge begins by clarifying that he wasn't suggesting Michael Flynn committed treason, he was asking to get a sense of offenses — "I was just curious." Prosecutor Brandon Van Grack says the government had no reason to believe Flynn committed treason
Re: Flynn's arg his case is different from Mueller defendants who pleaded guilty to lying and went to jail, George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, the judge says he doesn't think the cases are analogous — neither was a high-ranking govt official who lied in the White House
Flynn's lawyer Robert Kelner argues that on the flip side, when Flynn decided to cooperate, he did so knowing that his status would send a message. Sullivan asks if they want to proceed to sentencing, Kelner asks for a moment, jokes that he's "building up to it"
****Flynn's lawyer says they're prepared to delay sentencing to allow Flynn to fully finish cooperating with the government, noting that they expect he'll be asked to testify in the EDVA case unsealed yesterday
BREAKING: Michael Flynn's sentencing will be postponed to give him time to finish fully cooperating with federal prosecutors
A status report on whether Flynn is ready for sentencing will be due by March 13 at noon
Flynn's lawyer noted earlier there had been a case involving a former high-ranking general, referring to David Petraeus, who got no prison time for sharing classified info. Sullivan just now said he didn't agree with that (prefaced it by saying maybe he shouldn't say anything)
And that's a wrap on today's non-sentencing hearing. Stay tuned for a full report shortly.
STORY, Part II: After a judge told Michael Flynn he couldn't hide his "disgust" and "disdain" for Flynn's crimes, Flynn delayed sentencing to fully finish cooperating — likely with the goal of maximizing the benefits of that when he actually is sentenced buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
In a surprising turn of events Tuesday, former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn decided to delay his sentencing to finish cooperating with the government — this was after the judge said he couldn't hide his "disgust" for Flynn's crimes buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
