Dec. 1, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s guilty plea to lying to federal investigators about his conversations with the Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak in Dec. 2016:
“It would have been irresponsible for then-incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn not to have spoken in Dec. 2016 with the Russian ambassador about sanctions and other urgent matters between the U.S. and Russia. At that point, both Russian and U.S. air forces were both patrolling the war zone in Syria, a potential flashpoint for conflict and war. In the campaign, Hillary Clinton had advocated in favor of enforcing a no-fly zone in Syria enforced by the U.S., risking open war with Russia.
“The Trump transition, after the election was won, had a duty to engage with Russia and to gauge their response to sanctions and more broadly the posture the U.S. was taking, and if the net result is there was no further escalation by Russia in response, they did everyone a favor and potentially averted a wider conflict or even a war.
“The incoming president after an election and his transition team have every right and it is expected that they make contact with foreign governments in preparation of putting the administration’s foreign policy into place. This leads to a smooth transition, protects national security and keeps the American people safe by sending clear signals to foreign powers about the intentions of the incoming president.
“The bottom line is Flynn should never have lied to the then-Vice President Elect and then to federal investigators about something that was well within the scope of his duties. Flynn had not only not done anything wrong by talking with the Russians, he may in fact have diffused a potential escalation and war between the world’s top nuclear powers. That was something to be proud of, not to hide.”
Attachments:
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions has responsibility to get to the bottom of the Michael Flynn unmasking leak,” By Robert Romano, Aug. 14, 2017 at http://netrightdaily.com/2017/08/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-has-responsibility-to-get-to-the-bottom-of-the-michael-flynn-unmasking-leak/
“Flynn first victim of Obama’s Russia witch hunt against Trump,” By Robert Romano, Feb. 15, 2017 at http://netrightdaily.com/2017/02/flynn-first-victim-obamas-russia-witch-hunt-trump/
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 100 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.
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