A judge has suggested US President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser sold out his country when he lied to the FBI about Russia contacts.
Michael Flynn was due to be sentenced, but his lawyers requested a delay after the judge’s blistering comments.
Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the US.
He is the first Trump administration figure to face sentencing in the probe into alleged Kremlin election meddling.
Hours before Flynn turned up for the hearing in Washington DC, President Trump tweeted to him: “Good luck today in court.”
The Republican president regularly lambasts the US justice department investigation into whether he or his aides colluded with an alleged Russian plot to sway the 2016 US election in Mr Trump’s favour.
Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2018
What happened in court?
Flynn was due to learn his fate on Tuesday, but the judge’s stern comments led the former national security adviser’s legal team to scramble for a postponement.
Judge Emmet Sullivan agreed to reschedule the sentencing to 13 March.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation, had asked for Flynn to be spared prison time.
Mr Mueller’s office cited Flynn’s “substantial” co-operation with the inquiry and career of military service.
However, Judge Sullivan told Flynn: “This is a very serious offence.
“A high-ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the FBI while on the physical premises of the White House.”
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At one point, Judge Sullivan asked the prosecutor whether the special counsel’s office had ever considered charging Flynn with treason.
The judge told Flynn: “Arguably, you sold your country out.”
Judge Sullivan also said he “can’t hide my disgust, my disdain” for the offence.
Flynn reaffirmed his guilt in court and said he “was aware” at the time of his FBI interview that lying to them was a crime.
Last week, his legal team had argued that investigators never made clear to him it was a crime to lie, and had discouraged him from having a lawyer present.
But prosecutors had hit back in court documents: “He does not need to be warned it is a crime to lie to federal agents to know the importance of telling them the truth.”
In a Fox News interview on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Flynn had been “ambushed” by FBI agents who “broke every standard protocol they have”.
A small group of protesters were outside court, holding a large inflatable rat, while other demonstrators showed up in support of Flynn.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")