Ex- security adviser Flynn pleads guilty to lying over Russia meddling in US election

Michael Flynn, former US national security adviser has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia, and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors investigating Moscow’s meddling in the last elections won by President Donald Trump.

Reports say Flynn admitted under a plea bargain deal in a Washington court that he lied when asked by FBI investigators about his conversations last December with Russia’s then-ambassador, Sergei Kislyak, just weeks before Trump took office.

Flynn’s decision to cooperate with FBI chief and Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team marked a major escalation in a probe that has dogged the president since he took office in January.

“Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn,” said Ty Cobb, a White House attorney.

Read also: RUSSIA MEDDLING: Trump’s son-in-law denies withholding WikiLeaks, Moscow emails

Two days ago, it was reported by CNN that White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner met with Mueller’s team earlier this month as part of its Russia meddling probe.

Citing two people familiar with the meeting, CNN reported that Flynn was the prime topic of the conversation between Kushner and Mueller’s team.

Early last month, Kushner while fielding questions from congressional Russia investigators denied that he withheld emails about WikiLeaks and “a Russian backdoor overture” in 2016 as investigations continue into allegations of election meddling by Russia.

Kushner also stated that he did not communicate with WikiLeaks and did not recall anyone on the Trump campaign who had, a source with knowledge of his testimony told CNN.

Two senators had accused Kushner of holding on to emails he received about WikiLeaks and “a Russian backdoor overture” in 2016.

 

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