MSNBC's Pete Williams was stunned by the ferocity of Judge Emmet Sullivan, who is taking "a much harder line" with the sentencing of President Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn, convicted for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.
"This is a rattlesnake judge shaking the rattle," said Williams, clearly startled by Sullivan's signal that he would ignore the joint recommendation of both the defense and the prosecution that Flynn serve no jail time. "He is saying look out, because he is prepared to give him a sentence in prison and strongly suggesting that the defense take the hint and delay this sentence to see if there is more cooperating that they can do."
Williams said Sullivan was outraged that Flynn had lied to the FBI while in the White House, and slammed the defendant for "acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government while he was serving as national security adviser."
"He said at one point that he found Flynn's behavior disgusting, and astonishingly, asked at one point if Mueller's team ever considered charging Mike Flynn with treason," a clearly gobsmacked Williams reported. "I have a hard time understanding that, because treason means aid and comfort to the enemy, and I'm not sure what enemy the judge is thinking of."
"That just tells you where this judge is coming from," Williams continued. "The only problem is that Robert Mueller's team feels that he has been done with cooperation, and it is not clear how much cooperating he could do to basically wash away the sins here, and come away with no prison time."
However, the judge later walked back his statements. "Don't read too much into the questions I asked. I'm not suggesting he committed treason," Sullivan said in court.
Watch the video below.
