The story went almost unnoticed by most, but it could turn out to be the biggest development in the growing case against Donald Trump, one that could eventually wind up with the president being impeached.
Politico reported Thursday that former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn had just fired his attorneys:
“The lawyers, Robert Kelner and Stephen Anthony, offered no explanation for their abrupt dismissal in a two-page motion delivered to the federal judge who will mete out Flynn’s punishment stemming from his 2017 guilty plea to special counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecutors.”
On the face of it, that doesn’t seem like a big deal; people part ways with their legal team all the time for various reasons. But what makes this so noteworthy is that Flynn is about to be sentenced for numerous federal crimes. Who fires their attorneys when they’re about to face a judge for sentencing?
Two theories on why Flynn ditched his lawyers were put forward by former federal prosecutor Elie Honig:
Strange move by Flynn. Two thoughts: (1) classic delay tactic to fire attorneys this late in the game and (2) could be setting up to try to withdraw his guilty plea – a desperate move that almost never works. https://t.co/oL59EQycsg
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) June 6, 2019
But there’s another possibility, and it’s the one that would be the most devastating for Trump: Flynn fired his attorneys because he’s about to sit down and tell the House Judiciary Committee everything he knows about Trump’s connections to Russia and just how deeply tied the president is to Russian President Vladimir Putin. That alone could earn him some major brownie points with U.S, District Judge Emmet Sullivan. It might even keep him out of prison completely.
Think for a moment just how powerful it would be if a few days after Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifies before the judiciary committee, Flynn sits in front of that same committee and presents evidence that supports major portions of Mueller’s report, perhaps even detailing new crimes Trump has committed. That alone could be all that’s necessary for articles of impeachment to be drawn up.
Granted, there’s no way we can yet know the reason Flynn fired his attorneys. But if he’s getting ready to tell what he knows to a congressional committee, Donald Trump’s nightmares are just beginning.
Stay tuned.