Exclusive: Obama says in private call that 'rule of law is at risk' in Michael Flynn case

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...HMJ?li=BBnbfcL


WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama, talking privately to ex-members of his administration, said Friday that the “rule of law is at risk” in the wake of what he called an unprecedented move by the Justice Department to drop charges against former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.
In the same chat, a tape of which was obtained by Yahoo News, Obama also lashed out at the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as “an absolute chaotic disaster.”
“The news over the last 24 hours I think has been somewhat downplayed — about the Justice Department dropping charges against Michael Flynn,” Obama said in a web talk with members of the Obama Alumni Association.

“And the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. That’s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic — not just institutional norms — but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk. And when you start moving in those directions, it can accelerate pretty quickly as we’ve seen in other places.”
The Flynn case was invoked by Obama as a principal reason that his former administration officials needed to make sure former Vice President Joe Biden wins the November election against President Trump. “So I am hoping that all of you feel the same sense of urgency that I do,” he said. “Whenever I campaign, I’ve always said, ‘Ah, this is the most important election.’ Especially obviously when I was on the ballot, that always feels like it's the most important election. This one — I’m not on the ballot — but I am pretty darn invested. We got to make this happen.”
Obama misstated the charge to which Flynn had previously pleaded guilty. He was charged with false statements to the FBI, not perjury. But the Justice Department, in a filing with a federal judge on Thursday, asked that the case brought by special counsel Robert Mueller be dismissed, arguing that FBI agents did not have a justifiable reason to question the then national security adviser about his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak — talks FBI agents and Mueller’s prosecutors concluded he had lied about.
Still, Obama’s unvarnished remarks were some of his sharpest yet about the Trump administration and appeared to forecast a dramatically stepped-up political role he intends to play in this year’s election. The comments came during a lengthy chat in which he also sharply criticized the response to the coronavirus pandemic, blaming it on the “tribal” trends that have been stoked by the president and his allies.
“This election that’s coming up on every level is so important because what we’re going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party. What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life. And by the way, we’re seeing that internationally as well. It’s part of the reason why the response to this global crisis has been so anemic and spotty. It would have been bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset — of ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘to heck with everybody else’ — when that mindset is operationalized in our government.
“That’s why, I, by the way, am going to be spending as much time as necessary and campaigning as hard as I can for Joe Biden,” he added.
Obama’s remarks about Flynn seemed especially pointed in light of the fact that the former Army general had served in his administration as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency — until he was forced out by administration officials who viewed him as a chaotic, insubordinate manager. During the transition, Obama even warned Trump not to hire Flynn — advice that Trump ignored.
Obama also gave some insights into his life during the pandemic. The lack of sports, he said, is “driving me nuts.” But there was a bright side, he added. His daughters, Malia and Sasha, “are stuck having dinner with me” at home.


Comment - Obama sounds scared to comment so - as One about to be caught with hands in the cookie jar.

flynn was abused and unfairly treated by Democrat operatives of the FBI to stop Flynn from cleaning up their political contamination of what should be an independent of politics investigative agency. The Democrat operatives abused the Rule of law regarding Flynn -and Obama is hypocritical as he could possibly be!

The whole nasty Democrat political structure is about to come down - and the Durham report as a criminal investigation may be just the beginning.

we shall See!!

I'm disappointed in Obama still attempting to spin this tragic story.

FF- it sounds a lot like self defense and self preservation excuses.

he does not want to trade Martha's Vineyard for a cell in Leavenworth!

There wasn’t rule of law in the Obama administration.

Wonder what he is so worried about. Gallows humor maybe??

Have you noticed that not one single person in the media, that I'm aware of, has asked any principal in the Obama administration including Obama and Biden, to comment on the hand written note from the head of Counter Intelligence at the FBI, what he meant by "what is our goal, the truth or to get him to lie so we can prosecute him or get him fired". It just might be the single most important question to ask.


I would love to hear Obama explain why anybody in his FBI would ask if the goal of the FBI is to find the truth or get somebody to lie so that they could be prosecuted. Let him chew on that.


There's your injustice Mr. President.

the only one or thing at risk in the Michael Flynn case is Obama

There wasn’t rule of law in the Obama administration. Originally Posted by bambino

His administration was bitch-slapped by the SCOTUS for ignoring the law in a number of 9-0 decisions.

It's rich to hear him whine about perjury. It means lying under oath. When Slick Willy was caught perjuring himself 22 years ago, we were told it was no big deal. Happens all the time but is rarely prosecuted.

In Flynn's case, he wasn't even under oath - they charged him with lying to the FBI, which is a crime regardless of whether or not you're sworn in.

Maybe we should automatically put all of our politicians under oath on a 24/7 basis. Every one of them would be in jail.

I would love to hear Obama explain why anybody in his FBI would ask if the goal of the FBI is to find the truth or get somebody to lie so that they could be prosecuted. Originally Posted by HedonistForever

HF - I agree with you, but allow me to play devil's advocate. Would you be as outraged if an FBI guy in preparing a raid on Al Capone during the 1930s had taken notes saying "what's our goal - to get him for murder or tax evasion?"

And before you argue it's false equivalence to treat a 3-star general as harshly or leniently as a gangster-thug, remember we're all supposed to be given the same protections under the law.

I think the difference lies in probable cause. The FBI had no business pursuing Flynn in the first place. Whereas in Capone's case, they had plenty of reasons (murder, racketeering) to go after him.

if capone was cajoled into tax evasion by government officials offering him money and then saying its a gift you don't have to report it, while it was actually for some service rendered and therefore taxable

and then you got capone, who, let's say, had never broken any law before that, for tax evasion, you might have an equal case for set-up and entrapment

ll- i agree with your point - all people should be equal and treated equally under the law.

That precept appears to have been violated by the FBI - politicized by the Obama administration to protect itself from Flynn.

That - which has yet to be proven true in a court of law - but should be takend to court - is - iMHO- a violation of equal protection.

It is not whether it is you , me or Flynn, or Capone - all should be treated equally and fairly under the law.

Investigating Capone for tax evasion is not the same thing aw the FBI memo stating "There was no case' " against flynn, and using all the resources of the FBI against flynn to force him to plead guilty by threatening his family.

The whole sordid mess needs to be brought to trial in open court!

IMHO

Investigating Capone for tax evasion is not the same thing as the FBI memo stating "There was no case" against flynn... Originally Posted by oeb11

I agree - the "we found nothing derogatory" memo (which Strzok overruled) was more damaging to the FBI/DOJ case than the "what's our goal" scribbled note.

Suddenly, Joseph Misfud comes back in to focus on this topic. Anyone remember how badly Heir Muller did not want to talk about that guy?

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING! — Testimony Reveals Deep State Spy Joseph Mifsud Is Member of the Clinton Foundation

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/202...sharingbuttons

...Joseph Mifsud is connected to the Obama Spygate Scandal after presumably setting up George Papadopoulos and General Flynn in London.
We knew he was close to Hillary Clinton and even dined with her in 2016.
Now we know Mifsud was a member of the Clinton Foundation...

Suddenly, Joseph Misfud comes back in to focus on this topic. Anyone remember how badly Heir Muller did not want to talk about that guy?

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING! — Testimony Reveals Deep State Spy Joseph Mifsud Is Member of the Clinton Foundation

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/202...sharingbuttons

...Joseph Mifsud is connected to the Obama Spygate Scandal after presumably setting up George Papadopoulos and General Flynn in London.
We knew he was close to Hillary Clinton and even dined with her in 2016.
Now we know Mifsud was a member of the Clinton Foundation...

Originally Posted by Why_Yes_I_Do

Mueller didn’t know who Fusion GPS was. Whadda dope.