
Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (Photo: Defense Intelligence Agency)
Former National Security Adviser and Trump surrogate Michael Flynn on Tuesday admitted guilt for a second time at a sentencing hearing in federal court.
According to CBS correspondent Steven Portnoy, Judge Emmet Sullivan effectively forced Flynn to re-plea after his attorneys and President Donald Trump suggested that the former national security adviser had been entrapped by federal investigators.
Read Portnoy's tweets below.
WHOA. Judge Sullivan says the circumstances of Flynn's FBI interview, as raised by his attorneys last week, "conce… https://t.co/ZOtL8FAQBZ— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545149986.0
Sullivan asks Flynn if he wishes to challenge the circumstances under which he was interviewed. Flynn says NO.— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150031.0
Sullivan asks Flynn if he was aware that lying to the FBI was illegal. "I was aware," Flynn says. He is NOT takin… https://t.co/b8mvM5tGwt— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150075.0
Sullivan asks if Flynn is ready to accept responsibility "I am, your honor," Flynn answers forcefully. Sullivan… https://t.co/NVuxvtZxUu— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150203.0
Sullivan now asks Flynn's attorney if he believes his client was entrapped by the FBI. "No, your honor," says the lawyer.— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150238.0
Judge is still probing, asking Flynn's attorneys: "My question is, how is raising those contentions about the circ… https://t.co/1v97tf6Dl1— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150311.0
Defense Attorney Robert Kelner says Flynn "fully accepts responsibility" and "stands by his guilty plea." He says… https://t.co/xbxMzDomks— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150359.0
Saying he's "puzzled" by the documents he's seen, Sullivan makes it explicitly clear he was concerned by the circum… https://t.co/5CofaOKLYt— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150429.0
One final time, and still sounding skeptical, Sullivan asks Flynn, "If you want to proceed because you are guilty o… https://t.co/AESQQq9Jew— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150648.0
Judge Sullivan has sent Flynn and his attorneys back to their table. He says he wants to now go over Flynn's plea… https://t.co/o2KraDPWeO— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545150807.0
Sullivan describes Flynn's crime as a "very serious offense" -- a high ranking government official lying to the FBI… https://t.co/a2SNz9oNyI— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545151390.0
Mueller prosecutor Brandon van Grack haltingly tells Sullivan it is a "possibility" that Flynn is still cooperating… https://t.co/9sfuMlbbeR— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545151531.0
Prosecutor Van Grack says Flynn provided "substantial assistance" in the case announced yesterday, involving his wo… https://t.co/7xTNxtwjgn— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545151856.0
Judge Sullivan is giving Flynn yet another chance to delay -- now telling him it's his "prerogative" whether to mov… https://t.co/7tS5gBNDks— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152044.0
Sullivan repeats the phrase "very serious offense" to describe Flynn's crime... "in the West Wing!" "The aggravat… https://t.co/4vGhOTnA8g— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152134.0
SULLIVAN WARNS FLYNN OF A PRISON SENTENCE: "You were an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as… https://t.co/oulZrheExB— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152192.0
I gotta tell you folks, this is pretty good drama. It's a shame federal courts have decided the public shouldn't… https://t.co/2SIoT9Kk2V— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152310.0
DID FLYNN COMMIT TREASON? Sullivan is now asking the special counsel's office whether it ever considered charging… https://t.co/zo7pyx95tY— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152489.0
Sullivan recesses until 12:30pmET because Flynn has asked for the chance to confer with his lawyers before moving forward...— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545152713.0
BACK IN SESSION: Judge Sullivan reconvenes court at 12:42pET.— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545154928.0
Sullivan begins by BACKTRACKING on his remarks that Flynn was an unregistered foreign agent while working in the Wh… https://t.co/s73xHo85TQ— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155000.0
"I felt terrible about that," Sullivan says, after the prosecutor notes Flynn's conduct as a foreign agent ended in… https://t.co/HFTzACxvU7— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155089.0
BREAKING: Flynn's attorneys say they are now taking the judge up on his offer to delay today's sentencing because h… https://t.co/YX0abHp7Ea— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155559.0
Judge Sullivan repeats he won't make any promises when it comes time to deliver his sentence.— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155638.0
A SIGNAL -- Judge Sullivan says he disagrees with the plea agreement that saw Gen. David Petraeus avoid felony charges.— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155710.0
NOTE -- Flynn's sentencing has not been set for March. A status hearing, at which both sides will report the sit… https://t.co/NAawQsvyPY— Steven Portnoy (@Steven Portnoy) 1545155942.0




