Thread by @bradheath

We don't yet know what's in special counsel Robert Mueller's final report. We do know one of the questions he tried to answer was why so many of Trump's aides lied to downplay their Russia ties.
usatoday.com/story/news/pol…

Mueller's office accused seven people with lying to Congress or federal investigators. The very first lie they documented took place in the White House, on the fourth day of Trump's presidency, down the hall from the Oval Office.

The lies were among the subjects on which two of Trump's closest former associates cooperated with the special counsel investigation. Here's how the government described the extent of Mike Flynn's cooperation.

One of Flynn's friends, who speaks with him regularly, told us why he thinks the former national security adviser lied to the FBI. "He is a general," he said. "He was following orders from above him."

Another Trump associate, Michael Cohen, testified publicly that he lied to Congress because President Trump had encouraged him to. He provided information about that testimony to prosecutors, which they found "relevant and truthful."

Why were so many of Trump's aides caught lying? "Loyalty" and "orders."
usatoday.com/story/news/pol…