Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has all but confirmed that he offered to testify before the FBI and congressional committees about potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia in exchange for immunity.
Flynn, who was ousted from his post in February for misleading the White House about discussions he held with the Russian ambassador to the US, released a statement on Thursday through his lawyer declaring that he had a story to tell – but was first seeking “assurances against unfair prosecution”.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on Flynn’s offer to cut a deal with the FBI and Senate and House intelligence committees.
In his statement, Flynn’s counsel, Robert Kelner, wrote: “General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit.”
Kelner declined to comment on the details of Flynn’s conversations with the federal and congressional officials who are conducting separate inquiries into Russian interference in the US election.
But he noted Flynn was “the target of unsubstantiated public demands by members of Congress and other political critics that he be criminally investigated”.
“No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch-hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution.”
On Friday morning, Trump supported Flynn’s position, tweeting: “Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!”
Contrary to the assertion by Flynn’s lawyers that discussions with the relevant committees were under way, top aides to members of the House intelligence committee disputed the claim.
Jack Langer, a spokesman for the committee chairman, Devin Nunes, said no such offer had been made by Flynn in exchange for immunity.
Adam Schiff, the panel’s top Democrat, responded to the statement from Flynn’s attorney by noting it was “a grave and momentous step” for a former national security adviser to the president to seek for immunity from prosecution.
“When the time comes to consider requests for immunity from any witness, we will of course require a detailed proffer of any intended testimony,” Schiff said, while adding the House committee would discuss the matter with its counterparts in the Senate and the Justice Department.
“While Mr Flynn’s testimony is of great interest to our committee, we are also deeply mindful of the interests of the Department of Justice in the matter,” Schiff said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice declined to comment.
A government official with direct knowledge of the case told Reuters lawyers for Flynn raised the immunity request roughly 10 days ago with representatives of the Senate intelligence committee.
Officials said the committee was not interested in any immunity discussions at that time. On Friday, the Maine independent senator Angus King, a member of the Senate panel, said it was too soon to discuss immunity for Flynn.
Speaking to CNN, King criticized Trump’s remark and said: “This is not a witch-hunt. This is an effort to get to the truth of some very important questions.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that the Russians were behind an effort to interfere in our elections. To continue to deny that – it just flies in the face of all of the reality.”
Flynn was forced to resign earlier this year after it was revealed he lied to Mike Pence about the nature of his conversations with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the US.
Flynn spoke with the ambassador on multiple occasions during the transition process. One of those discussions pertained to US sanctions against Russia and occurred on 29 December – the same day Barack Obama levied more sanctions against Russian officials as an act of retribution toward its government for meddling in the election.
Flynn was also paid nearly $68,000 in fees and expenses by Russian-linked companies in 2015, the majority of which came from the Russian government-backed television network RT.
Immunity is typically sought to avoid penalty for breaking the law. Flynn agreed with the characterization while discussing the partial immunity granted to an aide to Hillary Clinton amid the federal government’s investigation of the former secretary of state’s use of a private email server at the state department.
Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press in September, two months before the election, Flynn stated: “When you are given immunity, that means you have probably committed a crime.”
