emptywheel

Graham and Grassley Are Seeing Christopher Steele's Ghost Where Mike Flynn Lurks https://www.emptywheel.net/2018/02/12/graham-and-grassley-are-seeing-christopher-steeles-ghost-where-mike-flynn-lurks/ …

1) I think you're exactly right about the January 5th meeting being about Flynn and likely nothing to do with Steele, however I think you're ascribing completely benign motivations behind the Flynn operation.

2) Unless Yates/comey were pursuing a very strained interpretation of the antiquated Logan Act, there's really no reason for them to have gone after Flynn in the first place.

3) Interesting that we were kept in the dark about the content of the Flynn conversation, after it's occurrence was illegally leaked (likely by Yates).

4) we now know that the conversations were about reaching out to UN amb to oppose Isreal condemnation resolution, and a convo about Russia not overreacting to Obama sanctions. (again nothing illegal)

Holding off on sanctions WOULD be illegal if it were payoff for quid pro quo. You know, what Flynn has spent 2 months cooperating with Mueller on, and that Mueller has asked for 3 more months to cooperate on?

What evidence is there of a quid pro quo regarding sanctions (aside from the Steele dossier)? An utterly absurd and possibly corrupt investigative lead....We don't know why the sentencing was delayed, but I suspect it has to do with recent revelations of Peter Strzok.

Evidence: 1) Russians offer emails 2) Russians show up asking for sanctions relief 3) Immediately after election (per Jared) Trump folks start cooperating on Syria 4) Flynn tells Russia they'll get sanctions relief How is this hard to see?