Flynn invokes Fifth Amendment in U.S. Senate's Russia probe, attorneys say
Lawyers for former security adviser cite 'public frenzy against him'
U.S. President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination on Monday and declined to hand over documents sought under subpoena by a Senate panel investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.
In a letter to the Senate intelligence committee, Flynn's attorneys justified the decision by citing an "escalating public frenzy against him" and saying the Justice Department's recent appointment of a special counsel has created a legally dangerous environment for him to co-operate with the panel's investigation.
"The context in which the committee has called for General Flynn's testimonial production of documents makes clear that he has more than a reasonable apprehension that any testimony he provides could be used against him," the attorneys wrote in the letter, which was obtained by the Associated Press.
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Flynn's decision not to co-operate with the Senate committee represents a new legal complication for the expanding government and congressional inquiries into Russian interference in the presidential campaign and contacts between Trump advisers and Russian officials. Flynn is a key figure in both the FBI investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller and in separate Senate and House inquiries.
Trump appointed Flynn, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and top military intelligence chief, as his top national security aide in January, only to fire him less than a month later. Trump said that Flynn had misled top U.S. officials, including Vice-President Mike Pence, about his contacts with Russian officials, including Russia's ambassador to the U.S.
Flynn's letter to the Senate committee stressed that his decision to invoke his constitutional protection is not an admission of wrongdoing but rather a response to the current political climate in which Democratic members of Congress are calling for his prosecution. That's according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Legal experts had said Flynn was unlikely to turn over the documents without a grant of immunity because doing so might compel him to waive some of his constitutional protections.
Flynn's decision not to co-operate now does not fully close the door on future co-operation with the committee. Flynn's attorney Robert Kelner said in March that Flynn wants to tell his story "should the circumstances permit." He noted it would be unreasonable for Flynn to agree to be questioned by the committee "without assurances against unfair prosecution."
Senate will 'vigorously pursue' Flynn testimony
Flynn's letter comes less than two weeks after the committee issued a subpoena for his documents as part of its ongoing investigation into possible collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign. In addition to the Senate investigation, Flynn is also being investigated by other congressional committees, as well as the ongoing FBI counterintelligence probe and a separate federal criminal investigation in northern Virginia.
The top two members of the Senate intelligence committee say they will "vigorously pursue" Flynn's testimony, despite Flynn's invoking his Fifth Amendment right.
Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and Mark Warner of Virginia say they are disappointed that Flynn has decided to ignore the committee's subpoena.
The top Democrat on a House oversight committee says documents he's reviewed suggest that Flynn lied to federal security clearance investigators about the source of payments Flynn received from a Russian state-sponsored television network.
Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland says Flynn told the investigators during an early 2016 security clearance review that a trip to Moscow was "funded by U.S. companies." Cummings says the actual source of the funds was "the Russian media propaganda arm, RT."
Cummings made the statements in a letter to Representative Jason Chaffetz, the Utah Republican and chairman of the House oversight committee. Cummings' letter came the same day Flynn declined to provide documents to the Senate Intelligence Committee, citing his Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination.
This is the second time Flynn has declined to co-operate with a request from the Senate committee. He also turned down an April 28 request that was similar to ones received by other Trump associates, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Trump associate Roger Stone and former foreign policy adviser Carter Page.
According to Monday's letter, the committee requested that Flynn provide a list of all meetings and communications he had with Russian officials. It also asked him to provide all records of his communications with the Trump campaign that "were in anyway related to Russia." The letter notes that the time frame of the request was Jan. 16, 2015, through Jan. 20, 2017.
Comey to testify after Memorial Day
Washington lawyer Nina Ginsberg, who has extensive national security law experience, said that if Flynn turned over any personal records in response to the committee's subpoena, he would waive his Fifth amendment rights regarding those documents and have to testify about them.
Ginsberg also noted that the committee faces new complications from the Justice Department's move last week to appoint Mueller as special counsel in the Russia inquiry. If the intelligence committee wants to give Flynn immunity, it will likely have to enter into discussions with Mueller to determine whether the move could impede the FBI's case.
If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?- U.S. President Donald Trump, at a rally in September
"The committee could decide to go ahead and not worry about Mueller," Ginsberg said, but that could create new legal complications for Mueller's probe.
Lawmakers of other key congressional committees are pledging a full public airing as to why former FBI Director James Comey was ousted amid the intensifying investigations into Russia's interference with the U.S. election.
Comey was fired by Trump earlier this month. The former FBI director agreed to testify before the Senate intelligence committee after the Memorial Day holiday, which is May 29.
Former CIA Director John Brennan is to testify in open and closed hearings Tuesday before the House intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation.
Trump has defended Flynn since his ouster and called on him to strike an immunity deal because Flynn is facing a "witch hunt." The president's comments are in stark contrast to his harsh words during the 2016 campaign for people who received immunity or invoked the Fifth Amendment in the probe of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.
"You see, the mob takes the Fifth. If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" Trump said during a September campaign rally in Iowa.