Michael Flynn is released from the American justice system in the Russian interference case. The American judge in charge of the file ordered, on Wednesday, June 24, the prosecution of the former adviser of Donald Trump, who admitted to lying to the federal police on his contacts with a Russian diplomat.

A federal court of appeal ruled in favor of the Republican government, which in May dropped the charges against General Flynn in this case at the heart of the sprawling Russian investigation.

>> Read: Russian investigation: indicted, former Trump adviser Michael Flynn admits to lying to the FBI

Political interference

The decision had caused an uproar, the opposition denouncing political interference. The judge in charge of the file, Emmet Sullivan, had refused to close it immediately. He had appointed a former magistrate to study government motives and scheduled a hearing to debate them. The Washington Court of Appeal ordered him to give up.

"The question is whether, when the government explains that a prosecution is no longer in the public interest, a judge can extend the case by appointing a third party, encouraging public participation and investigating the motivations of the On all its points, the Constitution and the precedents are clear: it cannot ", according to this decision.

Michael Flynn was the first family member to be worried about the investigation into suspected collusion between Moscow and the campaign team of the Republican billionaire.

Handling

After participating in this campaign, he had confidential discussions with the Russian ambassador to Washington, Sergei Kisliak in December 2016.

Having become a national security adviser, he was interrogated on January 24, 2017 by the federal police, but he had concealed these contacts. He quickly had to resign for also lying to Vice President Mike Pence.

In 2017, Michael Flynn had agreed to plead guilty to perjury, but he had changed his strategy in 2019 and has since said he is the victim of manipulation.

With AFP

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_FR