More smoke but no smoking gun. Michael Flynn’s guilty plea added a new layer of lies to the far-reaching investigation into ties between President Donald Trump and Russia, and put heightened scrutiny on the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. But Flynn’s admission, and all of the criminal cases thus far, have not resolved the fundamental question special counsel Robert Mueller is seeking to answer: Did Mr Trump’s campaign collude with Russia to win the election?
Still, Mueller has left no doubt that his investigators have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the contacts between Trump associates and the Russians, and they’re looking to gather more facts from Flynn, a new key cooperator. By forcing Flynn’s assistance, Mueller gains someone who can put him in the room with Mr Trump and his closest advisers during the campaign, transition and the early days of the administration, times where Mr Trump associates have acknowledged communicating with people connected to Russia. In the hours after Flynn admitted lying, two names surfaced as integral players in his actions.
Citing unnamed sources, The Washington Post reported that Kushner was identified as a “very senior” transition official, who directed Flynn to contact foreign governments, including Russia, about a UN Security Council resolution last December. And K.T. McFarland, who served as Flynn’s deputy national security adviser, was a “senior” transition official involved in discussions with Flynn.
