UPDATE, 8:08 p.m. Eastern: Turns out, ABC shouldn’t have gotten too excited about their massive report. Ross eventually had to recant part of this story under the pathetic guise of a “clarification” that Flynn was ordered by Trump as President-elect (and not a candidate) to speak with Russians.
Even there, he was instructed to speak with them on issues like fighting ISIS and in contrast to Ross’s vague assertion that Flynn was supposed to be in contact with them (whatever that meant). I wrote a post about Ross’s latest embarrassment here.
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In comments that have sent Twitter into a frenzy, ABC News investigative correspondent Brian Ross reported Friday morning that former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn is “prepared to testify...against President Trump, against members of the Trump family and others in the White House” now he’s pled guilty to lying to the FBI in Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
Former Clinton official and chief anchor George Stephanopoulos teed Ross up for this anti-Trump Christmas present by stating that Flynn pleading guilty on just one charge of lying “certainly would suggest that Michael Flynn had a fair amount of information to offer the special counsel in return.”
Out of nowhere, Ross uncorked this doozy, revealing that Flynn “has promised full cooperation to the Mueller team” and, according to “a confidante,” is willing to testify against not only the President, but the First Family and the White House.
“He's prepared to testify that President Trump, as a candidate, Donald Trump, ordered him — directed him to make contact with the Russians which contradicts all that Donald Trump has said to this point,” Ross added.
As to why Flynn would cooperate, Ross breathlessly continued:
As well, we're told Flynn made the decision to cooperate only in the last 24 hours, that he is distraught by this decision, but feels he is doing the right thing for his country, that he was facing huge legal bills in more than a million dollars and that he said that, finally, he had to this for that reason. He’s had to put his house on the market. He is facing serious financial problems.
Stephanopoulos took this news and ran with it, telling chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl:
And, Jon Karl, let’s go back then the importance of Michael Flynn right here. Michael Flynn, a chief foreign policy adviser to President Trump — candidate Trump. Had a relationship with him going through April 2017 after he was fired. One of the reports we had seen was that President Trump had asked him to stay strong in that, so the big question will be what kind of direction was he getting from president trump during the campaign perhaps about any work with the Russians. What did Flynn tell him about those conversations with Ambassador Kislyak? What did President Trump tell him about the FBI investigation?
ABC’s chief anchor would know all about the impact of plea deals and special counsels as he had a stint in the Clinton White House.
Anyway, Karl pointed out that Flynn “was the first major national security figure to come on and support the Trump campaign, big speaker at the Republican convention, the third person named to the Trump transition team, very major role in filling out the national security team.”
Here’s the relevant transcript from the ABC News Special on December 1:
ABC News Special
December 1, 2017
10:59 a.m. EasternGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Brian, this certainly would suggest that Michael Flynn had a fair amount of information to offer the special counsel in return.
BRIAN ROSS: That's right, George. He has promised full cooperation to the Mueller team. He's prepared to testify we are told by a confidante, against President Trump, against members of the Trump family and others in the White House. He's prepared to testify that President Trump, as a candidate, Donald Trump, ordered him — directed him to make contact with the Russians which contradicts all that Donald Trump has said to this point. As well, we're told Flynn made the decision to cooperate only in the last 24 hours, that he is distraught by this decision, but feels he is doing the right thing for his country, that he was facing huge legal bills in more than a million dollars and that he said that, finally, he had to this for that reason. He’s had to put his house on the market. He is facing serious financial problems.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Jon Karl, let’s go back then the importance of Michael Flynn right here. Michael Flynn, a chief foreign policy adviser to President Trump — candidate Trump. Had a relationship with him going through April 2017 after he was fired. One of the reports we had seen was that President Trump had asked him to stay strong in that, so the big question will be what kind of direction was he getting from president trump during the campaign perhaps about any work with the Russians. What did Flynn tell him about those conversations with Ambassador Kislyak? What did president trump tell him about the FBI investigation?
JONATHAN KARL: And remember, George, he was the first major national security figure to come on and support the trump campaign, big speaker at the Republican convention, the third person named to the Trump transition team, very major role in filling out the national security team. This is a major figure and the question is going to be exactly what he told the president. The President actually recommended if you remember this — he had actually said that Flynn should demand immunity before testifying before Congress. So, one question that was asked here many times and never emphatically denied would the president consider a pardon of Michael Flynn. That had never happened.
