Former National Security Adviser Gen. Michael Flynn’s lead attorney accused top officials of orchestrating a plot to frame her client, insisting that former President Barack Obama himself was in on it.
Flynn had initially pleaded guilty to providing a false statement to the FBI regarding his contact with a Russian ambassador, but later changed his story and pushed back by questioning the FBI’s tactics.
“These agents specifically schemed and planned with each other how to not tip him off, that he was even the person being investigated,” Powell told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” pointing to evidence that FBI agents took a casual approach with Flynn, not telling him they were investigating him and not warning him that it would be a federal crime to lie during their conversation.
“So they kept him relaxed and unguarded deliberately as part of their effort to set him up and frame him,” Powell said.
According to recently released testimony, President Obama revealed during an Oval Office meeting weeks before the interview that he knew about Flynn’s phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, apparently surprising then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
After the meeting, Obama asked Yates and then-FBI Director James Comey to “stay behind.” Obama “specified that he did not want any additional information on the matter, but was seeking information on whether the White House should be treating Flynn any differently, given the information.”
“The whole thing was orchestrated and set up within the FBI, [former Director of National Intelligence James] Clapper, [Former CIA Director John] Brennan, and in the Oval Office meeting that day with President Obama,” Powell said.
When asked if she believes that Flynn was the victim of a plot that went all the way up to Obama, Powell said, “Absolutely.”
As far as whether anyone will face charges over this, and, if so, who, Powell simply said it will be up to Attorney General Bill Barr and Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham, who has been investigating the origins of the Russia probe.
Powell said she believes the judge will sign off on Flynn’s charges being dismissed as soon as Monday.
(Fox News).