Copies of Michael Plin’s invitations to the Russian ambassador were published

Transcripts of calls between Michael Flynn and then Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak Released on Friday After they are classified by the Trump administration.

Flynn, who briefly served as President Trump’s White House National Security Adviser, was fired in February 2017 and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussing sanctions and the UN referendum with Kislyak in December 2016.

Flynn says he did not deliberately lie and that the Justice Department decided to dismiss the case this month, and that finding FBI agents, including Peter Strzok, was not the basis for interviewing Flynn’s days in Trump’s presidency.

Four calls and a voicemail have been sent out over 24 pages published by Republican lawmakers.

“Lt.. General Flynn, his legal team, the judge and the American people can now see with their eyes – for the first time – all the novelty of Lieutenant General Flynn this whole time. Chuck Crossley (R-Iowa) said in a statement. “There was nothing improper about his call. The FBI knew it.”

Grassley added: “After all the screws and malicious behavior of the FBI and DJJ officials during the Russia investigation, we can no longer take them at their word. We need oversight and transparency to solve this mess. “

Transcripts of documentary conversations during the Trump presidency, including men discussing sanctions.

In a conversation, Flynn begs Kislyak not to escalate the sanction war with the outgoing Obama administration.

Flynn told the envoy: “I know you have to do some sort of thing, only to review it; don’t go any further than you need to, because I don’t want us to get into something. Are you following me?”

In another conversation, Flynn talks about the incoming administration’s views on the Middle East.

“[Y]You know the strategic goal is stability in the Middle East, ”Flynn said. “That is the strategic goal. Between you and me, you know, you know this, we know this, you know, between Moscow and Washington. We will not achieve stability in the Middle East without acting against each other against this radical Islamic gathering. Period. “

In an explicit reference to the UN referendum, Flynn lied about Israeli immigration, a Trump adviser said: “We will try to help defer votes and allow consultations.”

Trump Intelligence Director John Radcliffe sent this letter to Congress after his predecessor, Executive Director Rick Grenell, categorized it this week.

Defenders of the retired military general, including White House press secretary Kylie McEnany, interviewed Flynn.

Recently released documents show that the FBI almost closed the investigation on Flynn on January 4, 2017, and found no evidence that he was a Russian agent. But Strzok and his mistress, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who traded anti-Trump texts, intervened to open the case, citing the never-used Logan Act of 1799, which banned ordinary citizens from conducting foreign diplomacy. The law is widely regarded as unconstitutional.

President Barack Obama learned of Flynn’s calls with Kislak before the then Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who carried out day-to-day operations in the Justice Department. Yates, who was fired by Trump for refusing to defend a travel ban on a group of major Muslim countries, was shocked to learn of Flynn-Gislach’s calls directly from Obama on January 5, 2017, according to more recently published documents from his deputy.

Flynn’s interview with the FBI occurred outside of standard protocol. Former FBI Director James Comey Publicly acknowledged He sent agents, including Strozok, to interview Flynn’s days in the Trump administration without informing the White House counsel’s office. Senior judicial leaders were also excluded from the decision, which frustrated Yates himself.

A handwritten note released this month from former FBI counterintelligence director Bill Priestoff – following a meeting with Comey and then deputy director Andrew McCabe – said of Flynn: “What’s our goal? Will we punish him or dismiss him because of the truth / consent or lie? “

Flynn was fired by Trump for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about calls with Kislak, which were made with the knowledge of other Trump intermediaries. Pence recently said he wants to believe that Flynn did not intentionally lie.

In pleading guilty to lying to the FBI, Flynn agreed to cooperate with investigators in Russia investigations, avoiding charges of serving as an unregistered agent of Turkey. The investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of a Trump-Russia partnership.