A report from the Wall Street Journal indicates that Trump National Security Adviser Gen. Michael Flynn has been under investigation — as part of a far-reaching counterintelligence probe into the Trump team’s possible ties with the Kremlin — by multiple U.S. intelligence agencies. The report appears to be tied to matters relayed in a recent Washington Post opinion piece that discussed Flynn’s phone calls with a Russian ambassador. The WSJ hints that further communications may have been intercepted, and Flynn has been under scrutiny from the highest levels of U.S. intelligence, including the FBI, CIA, and Treasury Department.
The original WaPo column mentioned discussions between Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day that President Obama leveled sanctions following the Russian efforts to influence the election. However, the calls revolved around Flynn expressing condolences for the murder of a Russian ambassador by a rogue Turkish cop in Ankara. Another call involved Flynn planning a post-inauguration call between Trump and Putin.
These examples were legitimate calls that would not be unusual for someone of Flynn’s incoming stature. However, the new WSJ report reveals that Flynn’s communications with Kislyak were deemed worthy enough to bring in the FBI and other top U.S. intel agencies. In addition, the piece reveals a larger probe into the Trump team’s alleged ties with Russia:
U.S. counterintelligence agents have investigated communications that President Donald Trump’s national security adviser had with Russian officials, according to people familiar with the matter.
Michael Flynn is the first person inside the White House under Mr. Trump whose communications are known to have faced scrutiny as part of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency and Treasury Department to determine the extent of Russian government contacts with people close to Mr. Trump.
This news also supports a recent New York Times report, which revealed that three Trump campaign associates were also under probe. Those included former campaign manager Paul Manafort, whose name and financial dealings appeared in a secret Ukraine ledger. And Roger Stone also popped up, although he’s apparently trying to convince the Internet that he was poisoned by Polonium — the same substance that killed a former KGB spy in 2006 when he ran afoul of Vladimir Putin’s associates. All very sketchy.
Flynn was sworn into his new duties on Sunday and was not subject to a confirmation hearing. This Wall Street Journal report does note that counterintelligence probes rarely lead to criminal charges, but the feds are certainly leaving no stone untouched when it comes to election meddling. And this Russia thing ain’t over yet.
(Via Wall Street Journal, MSNBC & Washington Post)