Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, is in big trouble, thanks to a bombshell report in The Washington Post Thursday night about his contacts with Russia before Trump became president. But Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway had no defense when she spoke to Fox News Friday night. She didn’t deny any of the reporting. She refused to discuss it at all.
Here are the jaw-dropping details. Late Thursday night, The Washington Post reported that Flynn had privately discussed U.S. sanctions with a Russian ambassador before Trump took office, despite having previously said otherwise. A Flynn spokesman now said Flynn “had no recollection of discussing sanctions” but “couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.” But here’s the most damning part (emphases added):
Nine current and former officials, who were in senior positions at multiple agencies at the time of the calls, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.
All of those officials said Flynn’s references to the election-related sanctions were explicit. Two of those officials went further, saying that Flynn urged Russia not to overreact to the penalties being imposed by President Barack Obama, making clear that the two sides would be in position to review the matter after Trump was sworn in as president.
Meanwhile, questions were raised about Vice President Mike Pence. He previously insisted that Flynn had never discussed sanctions with the Russians before Trump was sworn in.
Pence said in a Jan. 15 appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Flynn’s conversations with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak were “strictly coincidental” and had nothing to do with the Obama administration’s decision to punish Russia for meddling in the November election, which U.S. intelligence agencies agree was intended to help boost Trump’s prospects. “They did not discuss anything having to do with the United States’ decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia,” Pence told CBS.
Pence also appeared on Fox News Sunday on January 15 and gave suspiciously evasive answers about contact with Russia then.
Now, Democrats are calling for more investigations and Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, has said that Flynn should resign if the allegations are true. Politico has reported that the intelligence community and a faction in the White House have turned on Flynn.
Ironically, before they got to Flynn, Conway had the nerve to say that Trump beat Hillary Clinton “based on his much more muscular, much more clear and robust and tough position” on national security. In reality, Clinton soundly beat Trump in the popular vote. Only 27% of eligible voters voted for him. So, clearly, none of his policies appealed to the majority of Americans. In other words, this was another of Conway’s “alternative facts.”
Conway also had the nerve to say that Trump “first and foremost, this man that I work with every day, he is focused on the nation’s security.” Sure he is. When he can squeeze it in between Twitter tirades.
When Bolling got around to discussing Flynn, at about 4:40, he all but asked Conway to hit back at The Post. But she didn’t want to discuss it at all, other than to defend Pence.
BOLLING: Flynn says he doesn’t recall making those comments with the Russians, regarding sanctions. The Washington Post claims it has nine sources. Your thoughts. Where is the administration on that?
CONWAY: My thought is it’s not for me to comment any further at this time, Eric. I will repeat that Vice President Pence’s office or spokesman has said that the vice president in that TV interview was basing his comments on a conversation that he had with General Flynn. All of that is out in the public domain, so I’ll just repeat that and leave that there.
BOLLING: So you think Washington Post got it wrong?
CONWAY: I think that these are very highly sensitive matters and I would prefer not to comment any further.
Of course, Bolling never questioned why, if Trump is so focused on national security, she had nothing to say about a national security adviser essentially committing treason.
Which tells me, that there is chaos in the Trump administration over this.
Watch it below, from the February 10, 2017 The O’Reilly Factor.
Dense Pence should be pissed that he was drawn into supporting the initial lie. Flynn should be the first casualty of the Orange Twitler Misadministration.