Michael Flynn Did Nothing Wrong
I’m surprised that Trump accepted Flynn’s resignation and that, reportedly, Steve Bannon called for it. This will not lessen the attacks on the administration, which we’ve seen ever since the inauguration. Indeed, it will most likely amplify them, as “The Resistance,” as they call themselves, will be emboldened by getting their first “scalp.”
Lost in the salacious headlines about “Russian espionage” and “treason” is the fact that Flynn did not share any classified information with the Russian ambassador (which would have been grossly illegal). The Logan Act (1799)—which guards against unauthorized negotiations with foreign powers—appears in most stories on Flynn, but it has, in fact, never been enforced and would not be operative in this case.
Flynn’s ultimate crime was charting a new diplomatic course with Moscow—a state that, in a sane world, would be viewed by Americans as a potential ally or, at the very least, one whose interests are not in conflict with our own. This realistic view is unacceptable to those who demand global hegemony, as well as the mass media, who don’t want to lose their new favorite bogeyman.
Flynn’s choice to not give complete information to Vice President Mike Pence was wise and shrewd. Pence is a loyal and decent man, but not an intelligent or independent one. He is a “conservative” of the Dubya Era; in other words, he is steeped in the ideology and policies that Trump (and Flynn) are leaving behind. Pence is the kind of person who would return to the neocon script if given the chance, who views the Soviets—er, Russians—as eternal adversaries, and who would embrace military engagements for reasons of so-called “humanitarianism” and “democracy.” Mommy and Daddy shouldn’t tell the children everything there is to know about the world. . .
Overall, this scandal reveals that Trump lacks the allegiance, not just of the mass media, but of the Deep State, that is, the unelected bureaucratic and legal apparatus of the government. People within the Deep State leaked the information on Flynn’s phone call, and they will attempt to undermine Trump at every turn.
