Former Trump security adviser Flynn pleads guilty to lying to FBI

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to charges he “willfully and knowingly” lied to the FBI about conversations he had with a Russian official.

Flynn also said that President Donald Trump’s transition team guided his contacts with the Russians and that he was willing to testify against them.

BREAKING: Ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn admits in plea that Trump transition officials directed his contacts with the Russians.

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 1, 2017

Members of Trump’s transition team included his children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, former campaign chief Steve Bannon and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

CNN reported on Friday that Trump’s was the Kushner “very senior member” of the transition team who directed Flynn to contact the Russian officials.

But White House attorney Ty Cobb said in a partial statement on Friday that “nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn.

“The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel’s work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion.”

Prosecutors with the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a court document said Flynn falsely stated to the FBI that he had not discussed sanctions with then-Russian ambassador to the United States.

The retired Army lieutenant general is the fourth Trump administration official charged in Mueller’s inquiry into possible collusion between Russia’s government and Trump’s campaign and the White House.

He had served as the White House national security adviser for less than a month before he was forced to resign after reports he misled Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

“I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology,” Flynn wrote in his February resignation letter.

The Justice Department had reportedly warned the White House before Trump was officially installed that Flynn could be susceptible to blackmail from Russia.

In recent days, White House lawyers have downplayed the significance of Flynn’s legal troubles for Trump’s presidency, drawing a clear line between the once trusted aide’s personal baggage and his work on the Trump campaign and the administration.

Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates pleaded not guilty in October to charges they lied to the FBI about connections with Russian officials and potential election meddling.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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