ABC News: Flynn prepared to testify against Trump
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Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty today to lying to the FBI, has reportedly promised "full cooperation" with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, per ABC. Flynn is prepared to testify that Donald Trump directed him to contact the Russians as president-elect, not as a candidate, ABC News reports, correcting their earlier report.
Why it matters: Trump has denied having, or being aware of, any contact with the Russians during the campaign. A former senior aide to Flynn and ABC contributor, Richard Frankel, said "if there are bodies buried so to speak, General Flynn would know about them."
- After feeling "abandoned by Trump in recent weeks," Flynn decided to make the plea deal out of concern over the mounting legal costs of contesting the charges, per ABC. He reportedly "plans to sell his house to help defray costs."
- On the charge of lying to the FBI, he could face up to five years in prison, ABC reports.
- He has to check in with authorities weekly, and sentencing has been postponed.
- Federal Judge Rudolph Contreras noted that Flynn "is agreeing to cooperate with authorities in other matters."
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Flynn was "also prepared to testify that as a candidate, Donald Trump 'directed [Flynn] to make contact with the Russians,'" per an earlier ABC report that the organization has since changed.
