FBI: Wrongly portrayed as bogeyman in Flynn case
Re: “FBI defenders should be ashamed,” (TNT letter, 5/17).
This letter missed the underlying point of the Michael Flynn case.
He met with the Russian ambassador and discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had placed on Russia. He did so as a private citizen not authorized by the then-current administration.
The presumption was to discuss lifting the sanctions when a new Trump administration was installed. One can presume the Russian government would have no further need to negotiate in good faith with the Obama administration after the Flynn meeting.
The Constitution calls this crime out within the Logan Act. This federal law criminalizes negotiation by unauthorized American citizens with foreign governments having a dispute with the United States.
Flynn acknowledges that he lied to the FBI; this is documented by two guilty plea convictions. If my memory serves correctly, Trump fired Flynn for lying to the vice president and the FBI.
Instead of vilifying the FBI, the Trump administration and public should thank it for doing the one thing all FBI agents swear/affirm under oath: to uphold the Constitution.
Rod Boyd, Tacoma
This story was originally published May 23, 2020 at 11:38 AM with the headline "FBI: Wrongly portrayed as bogeyman in Flynn case."