The pardon of Michael Flynn was anticipated, as was the pardon of Roger Stone, and for pretty much the same reasons: they were done as a ha ha, up yours display, in contradiction of the rule of law, which is what you would expect from an authoritarian shill like Donald Trump. They were also signals that if you’re useful to Trump, you walk. Therefore, it’s bemusing that the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has taken pen in hand to decry Flynn’s “persecution” and praise Trump for pardoning him. They go on about “unjustified prosecution” and “judicial abuse.” It’s only five paragraphs, but it’s one hell of a harangue.Â
The FBI and Justice pursued him though they knew there was no basis for an investigation. They coerced a plea of lying to the FBI though the interviewing agents thought he was telling the truth. A later re-examination ordered by Attorney General Bill Barr found that Justice and the FBI had withheld exculpatory evidence. Former FBI director James Comey crowed about how the bureau took advantage of the unsuspecting Mr. Flynn and a trusting White House to have his agents interview him without courtesies normally extended to criminals.
Justice finally moved to dismiss the charges this year, but then federal Judge Emmet Sullivan opted for political revenge by refusing to agree to the dismissal. He even tried to investigate the case himself—an extraordinary intrusion by a court into the executive branch’s prosecutorial power. His obvious goal was to stall long enough for a Biden Administration to take power and reinstate the charges. What a disgraceful performance.
Mr. Flynn should have been vindicated in court, but Judge Sullivan was never going to give him a fair hearing. A pardon was the only avenue left to prevent Mr. Flynn from more years of punishment. Congratulations to Mr. Trump for sparing an innocent man who served his country well but was ill-served by too many of his countrymen.
Meanwhile, back in Reality, where people try to keep at least one foot on the ground, here’s how Trump’s opening round in the anticipated pardon festival was received.
Even the Supreme Leader, himself said Flynn lied https://t.co/uMPLksayLX
— Deez 4 Democracy (@BackDeez) November 26, 2020
Remember the time Flynn got together with some friends and discussed taking cash to kidnap and send to his death a dissident cleric?
The GOP owns that too. https://t.co/Jk7ms63IAS
— Ted Kalo (@tedward23) November 25, 2020
And here’s more about what a totally great guy Flynn is. Selling nuclear reactors to the Saudis, remember that? When he went there with Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner?
Remember the time Flynn tried to transfer nuclear tech to the Saudi’s & was caught literally texting about it during the inauguration & nothing was done about that either? Good timeshttps://t.co/NJglPimGt7
— scjo (@sassiscjo) November 25, 2020
In Trump’s world, the innocent are persecuted and the guilty are pardoned. A fitting coda to a rotten presidency.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 25, 2020
That is because in his world, the normal dichotomies do not apply. There is not right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust, fair and unfair, true and false, legal and illegal. There is only in favor of Trump and everything else.
— Nance Lee (@NanceLeeM) November 25, 2020
And you’ll be happy to hear that Trump is working with Jared on a possible “blitz” of pardons and commuted sentences between now and January 20. It’s to be expected, under the principle of garbage in, garbage out, crooked in, crooked pardoned.
It’s no surprise that the WSJ’s editorial board would be all in favor of the pardon: The editorial board is a bunch of right-wing nut jobs who can’t find a single fault with anyone of the “R” variety.
In all honesty, I haven’t seen anything near this nutso coming from the editorial board. As a matter of fact, I liked the editorial that they did admonishing Trump to give it up and concede. This is really far out there, in my view. Maybe I don’t read them enough.
Maybe it’s nothing more complicated than Murdoch making nice to Trump because Trump’s recent fury agaonst Fox is affecting their bottom line? (Not as much as Trump had hoped, apparently, but enough to concern Murdoch?)
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/07/932203022/as-trumps-chances-fade-murdoch-s-fox-news-faces-wrath-and-tough-choices
Interesting idea, actually.
Only a single instance in the sordid pardon orgy yet to come!
Unfortunately, I think that’s how it’s going to be. The New York Times has an article up on Trump and Jared putting this together.
Those that have been pardoned can no longer take the 5th in a trial.
They will have to testify against Trump or will go to prison, with no turkey in the White House willing to pardon them.
Yeah, maybe no. Only if Senate is 50-50… then no help from House or Senate, Legislative. No help from Joe and team, Executive. And from Judicial ????
Need out all pressure.
The RWNJWSJ conveniently forgets that a pardon is received only with acknowledgement of wrongdoing. If called to testify a recipient MUST appear and testify fully and truthfully. No 5th amendment rights. If you violate the terms the pardon can be voided and any applicable prosecution can go forward. And you have already admitted guilt. Odious Orange just shot himself in the face.
Annar, this is great news! Does this apply to courts both federal & state?
The younger Flynn took the Fifth in regard to his father’s trips abroad and other stuff. That seems to indicate he was involved.
The WSJ used to be a pretty even-handed publication, but over the last few years its opinion side has been fully in Trump’s corner, parroting right wing spin time after time. So not a stunning editorial at all. You might as well pit them in the same pile with the Federalist, Breitbart, Townhall, Gateway Pundit, etc. etc.