Rift between Michael Flynn and government deepens on eve of business partner’s trial
By Rachel Weiner and
Spencer S. Hsu July 12 at 2:56 PM
The U.S. government has extensive evidence that the Turkish government attempted to influence President Trump’s 2016 campaign through adviser Michael Flynn, according to a statement read in Alexandria federal court Friday.
The statement from prosecutors indicated that the government has “multiple, independent pieces of information related to the Turkish government’s efforts to influence United States policy,” including on an exiled cleric Turkey would like to see extradited. It was read aloud in court by an attorney for Flynn’s former business partner, Bijan Rafiekian.
The information reportedly shows a businessman with close ties to the Turkish government engaged with Flynn “because of Michael Flynn’s relationship with an ongoing presidential campaign.”
Rafiekian is scheduled to go on trial next week on charges that he illegally lobbied for Turkey while working with Flynn, with the help of Dutch-Turkish businessman Ekim Alptekin. According to the prosecutors’ statement, however, the government has collected evidence that Turkey cultivated a relationship between Alptekin and Flynn that did not relate to Rafiekian or their firm, the Flynn Intel Group.
There were no details offered on the information. Defense attorney Mark MacDougall argued unsuccessfully that the government should be forced to share even sensitive classified information if it could help exonerate his client.
The revelation hints at how a foreign government sought to influence Trump’s campaign around the 2016 election, suggesting Turkey’s outreach to Flynn was part of a purposeful effort by Turkey to buy influence with the new president.
Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, admitted lying to the government about his engagement with both Russian and Turkish interests during the campaign and presidential transition. Until last week he was expected to be the star witness against his former business partner.
But after over a year of cooperation with the Justice Department in hopes of a lenient sentence in his own criminal case, prosecutors said they no longer trust Flynn’s version of events and will not call him to the stand. Flynn’s new legal team is accusing the prosecution of retaliation and questioning the merits of their case.
more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/michael-flynn-deepens-rift-with-prosecutors-on-eve-of-business-partners-trial/2019/07/12/a02badee-a426-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html?utm_term=.202418bb4603
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