TRUMP, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE

Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump’s longtime advisor, has resigned as National Security Advisor following revelations that he conducted potentially illegal discussions with the Russian ambassador prior to Trump’s inauguration and made false statements to the press, the Trump administration including the Vice President, and to FBI agents.

Timeline of those events below:

• Dec 29, 2016: The Obama administration levies sanctions against Russia and Russian individuals while expelling 35 Russian diplomats from the US as retaliation for Russian interference in the US presidential election.
• Dec 29, 2016: On the same day, Flynn speaks by phone with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, and discusses the sanctions and suggests the possibility of sanctions relief once Trump is president. The call is monitored by U.S. intelligence agencies.
• Jan 12, 2017: The Washington Post reports on Flynn’s phone call for the first time.
• Jan 13, 2017: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer denies that Flynn discussed sanctions on the call.
• Jan 14, 2017: Flynn discusses the call with Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and denies discussing sanctions on the call.
• Jan 15, 2017: VP Pence and WH CoS Priebus deny that Flynn discussed sanctions on multiple news programs.
• Jan 23–26, 2017: FBI Agents interview Gen. Flynn regarding the call, which Flynn again denies included a discussion of sanctions. Making false statements to a federal agent is a felony.
• Jan 26, 2017: Acting Attorney General Sally Yates informs White House Counsel Don McGahn that, “contrary to Flynn’s claims, sanctions had been discussed in the calls, based on the monitoring of the conversations by intelligence agencies. She also warns that Flynn is vulnerable to blackmail.” President Trump is immediately informed, according to the White House.
• Jan 30, 2017: AG Yates is fired by President Trump hours after directing the Justice Department to refuse to defend Trump’s Executive Order on travel and immigration. Trump described her actions as a “betrayal.”
• Feb 8, 2017: Flynn again denies discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador in an interview with the Washington Post.
• Feb 9, 2017: The Washington Post, citing nine sources, reveals that Flynn was caught on wiretap discussing sanctions and implying the release of sanctions, contrary to his and the White House’s previous statements.
• Feb 9, 2017: Around the same time as the publishing of the above WaPo report, VP Pence learns for the first time that Gen. Flynn misled him, and caused VP Pence to mislead the nation, despite the President and other members of the administration knowing for two weeks.
• Feb 10–12, 2017: President Trump denies knowledge of the WaPo report and remains silent on the cacophony of calls for clarity on the White House’s position on the report.
• Feb 13, 2017: The Washington Post reports on the Jan 30 warning by AG Yates to the Trump WH, revealing that the administration had known about Flynn’s malfeasance for weeks without action.
• Feb 13, 2017: Gen. Mike Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor after only 23 days.