This morning, the unofficial Donald Trump National Security Team otherwise known as Fox & Friends had some good news for their favorite possible traitor in the White House: Suggest that Michael Flynn’s request for immunity in the federal Russia investigations could be proof that he’s innocent! And, lo and behold! Trump’s tiny fingers took to Twitter with that message moments later.
Never mind that Trump, Flynn and Fox News once thought asking for immunity was a sure sign of guilt. That was so Hillary Clinton ago!
This morning, cohost Steve Doocy read a statement from Flynn’s lawyer about the immunity request from Trump’s former national security advisor: “No reasonable person who has the benefit of advice from counsel would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized witch hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution.”
There to help viewers forget that immunity requests used to equal guilt but now prove victimhood was former CIA officer, regular guest Tony Shaffer. Somehow Doocy forgot to tell the “we report, you decide” network’s viewers that Shaffer has some friendly associations with Flynn
Last week, Shaffer depicted Trump as the big victim in the Russia probe (and we believe that his weekend appearance on Fox & Friends was part of what really prompted Trump to urge viewers to watch Jeanine Pirro that night).
This morning, Shaffer maintained his stance on behalf of Trump: “I think you have to understand, Steve, that in this town, going after people is a blood sport,” Shaffer told Doocy. Then Shaffer characterized as “a bad episode of Seinfeld” the investigation into Russia’s interference in our 2016 presidential election and whether anyone involved in the Trump campaign colluded.
Shaffer next began smearing those asking questions about the Trump ties to Russia:
SHAFFER: You’ve got a George Costanza-looking guy over at CNN making stuff up. You’ve got a bunch of Kramers out there who would gladly report if Mike Flynn goes to get a flu shot. And that’s translated into that he’s mainlining heroin.
[…]
Frankly, Mike Flynn would be stupid to not actually figure out a path forward regarding under what circumstance, who he talks to and what he talks to, regarding the issues. I don’t see anything evil here.
[…]
If there’s anything bad out there that relates to the Russians and Mike Flynn, it would already be out. … We have to understand that if something was bad, it would have already been used.
However, even the Trump Cheerleading Squad was less than 100% on board the Flynn-as-victim train. “Immunity from what, though?” cohost Ainsley Earhardt asked.
Cohost Brian Kilmeade helpfully mentioned that Flynn has identified Russia “for what they are … our nemesis around the world.” But Kilmeade went on to note that Flynn’s lawyer has said, “He has a story to tell.” That would be no biggie, Kilmeade quickly added. But in legalese, “That’s intriguing enough to bait somebody to give you that immunity.”
Suddenly Shaffer was a bit more tentative. “I think there’s a lot of things we don’t fully understand about what happened over the last six months of the campaign and particularly with Mike,” Shaffer replied. He said we all need to be patient because “the mainstream media” (which Fox forever pretends it is not part of) “will do whatever they can to either basically blow things up out of proportion or lie.”
If I were Trump, I’d be a tad nervous that even his BFFs are beginning to question what might be uncovered about his ties to Russia. If so, he’s not showing it. As Raw Story noted, Trump echoed Shaffer’s “Flynn witch hunt” bravado in a tweet shortly after this segment aired:
Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017
Watch the Fox & Friends discussion below, from the March 31, 2017 Fox & Friends.
