This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
A judge has delayed the sentencing for President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser and retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn on Tuesday, this after Flynn pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI about having conversations with a Russian diplomat after Trump’s election in 2016.
A status hearing is reportedly set for March 13, 2019.
Flynn walked out of the courthouse at approximately 1:05 p.m. EST on Tuesday to chants of “USA” from some and “lock him up” from others.
BREAKING: Judge Sullivan DELAYS the sentencing of Gen. Michael Flynn, sets a status hearing for March 13th.
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) December 18, 2018
Breaking on @MSNBC: Flynn’s lawyer says they’re prepared to delay sentencing.
“It is true that this EDVA case is still pending and likely Flynn may testify in that case … For that reason, we are prepared to take your honor up on that suggestion.”
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 18, 2018
“Arguably you sold your country out,” U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan told Flynn in court on Tuesday.
At sentencing hearing, a federal judge tells former national security adviser Michael Flynn that “arguably you sold your country out” https://t.co/sCZkYJ3ePK
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 18, 2018
“You were an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the National Security Adviser to the President,” Sullivan said. “Arguably, this undermines everything the flag over here stands for. Arguably, you sold your country out.”
SULLIVAN WARNS FLYNN OF A PRISON SENTENCE:
“You were an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the National Security Adviser to the president!
“Arguably, this undermines everything this flag over here stands for! Arguably, you sold your country out!”
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) December 18, 2018
“I am not hiding my disgust, my disdain for your criminal offense,” Sullivan added, CNN reported.
Flynn’s attorney asked Tuesday for the sentencing to be delayed.
Trump had tweeted “good luck” to Flynn on Tuesday morning, saying, “Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion!”
Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2018
Flynn had served as national security advisor after Trump’s inauguration for only a few weeks before he was fired from his post after details emerged of his meetings with the Russian ambassador at the time, Sergei Kislyak.
He pleaded guilty last December to one count of making false statements to the FBI about discussions he had with Russia’s ambassador the U.S. after Trump’s election.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is spearheading the Russia investigation and allegations of Russian hacking of the 2016 Presidential election, charged Flynn with “willfully and knowingly” providing “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to the FBI.
Flynn was initially praised for his cooperation with the Mueller investigation – until it was revealed that he lied to federal agents in a January 2017 White House meeting about his conversations with the then-Russian ambassador.
Flynn served in the U.S. Army for 33 years before retiring in 2014.
