The judge in Michael Flynn’s case, after giving Flynn repeated opportunities to take back his guilty plea, has just recessed to give Flynn and his legal team a chance to process everything that was said, especially in regard to postponing the sentencing.
Here’s a blow by blow of what happened today in the courtroom via Politico reporter Darren Samuelson:
"All rise." And the Flynn sentencing is underway. Judge Sullivan takes his seat at the bench.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan notes he's not the original judge who took Flynn's guilty plea. The also says to the lawyers to let him know if he accidentally broaches sealed info. "I don’t want to unintentionally say something that something that should not be revealed on the public docket."
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan asking Flynn whether he wants to change his guilty plea in light of 302s and other new info. He has declined.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan offers Flynn a chance to postpone this sentencing hearing to rethink his guilty plea. Flynn replies, "“I appreciate that, but no your honor.”
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan said he had some "concerns" based on Flynn's pre-sentencing filing. ”I cannot recall any incident in which the court has accepted a plea of guilty from someone who maintained he was not guilty and I don’t intend to start today.”
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan once again runs through with Flynn whether he wants to w/d his guilty plea. Again, Flynn says, "I would like to proceed your honor." And the judge announces he'll accept the plea.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan sends Flynn and his attorneys back to their seats as he now turns to talking about the initial guilty plea.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Mueller prosecutor Brandon van Grack, when asked by the judge if Flynn is still helping the special counsel, “It remains a possibility that Gen. Flynn is continuing to cooperate at this point.”
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
“This is a very serious offense,” Judge Sullivan said, noting Flynn’s crime involved a high-ranking official of the government making false statements to the FBI “while on the physical premise of the White House.”
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Mueller prosecutor van Grack says Flynn played a cooperative role (and could have been indicted) in the case unsealed Monday against 2 former business partners who were charged with failing to register as foreign agents as they covertly lobbied on behalf of Turkey.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan again offering Flynn a chance to push off today's sentencing until his cooperation is over. “Do you want to postpone this and come back at some later point and I don’t know what that point will be. That’s fine with me.”
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan: "All along you were an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the national security adviser of the president of the United States. ... Arguably that undermines everything that flag over here stands for. Arguably, you sold your country out."
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan asks Mueller prosecutors if Flynn could have been indicted for treason. Van Grack replies, "That was not something we were considering at the time, charging the defendant."
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
Judge Sullivan has recessed Flynn's sentencing hearing until 12:30 p.m. to give Flynn and his lawyers a chance to rethink everything that's been discussed so far today w/ respect to postponing this entire proceeding.
— Darren Samuelsohn (@dsamuelsohn) December 18, 2018
We’ll let you know when the sentencing verdict is announced, which should be in about 20 minutes from now…