Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Former President Obama weighed in on the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropping the case against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn saying the “rule of law is at risk.”
This week, the DOJ dropped the case against Flynn and the House Intelligence Committee released transcripts of its investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Flynn was charged with lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over his conversation with the Russian ambassador.
Obama criticized the DOJ’s decision on Friday during a private phone call that was made public.
It’s reported Obama was on the phone call with former administration members.
Fox News reports:
“And the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free,” he reportedly said. “That’s the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic — not just institutional norms — but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk.”
Obama wrongly said Flynn was charged with perjury.
Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley made a series of comments on social media about Obama’s criticism of the DOJ.
Turley noted Obama was incorrect about the perjury charge saying, “First and foremost, Flynn was not charged with perjury.”
Second, we now know Obama discussed charging Flynn under the Logan Act which has never been used successfully to convict anyone and is flagrantly unconstitutional. Third, this reaffirms reports that Obama was personally invested in this effort. Finally, there is precedent…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 9, 2020
Here is the precedent the President Obama said was missing for the Flynn motion. In his reported comments to the Obama Alumni Association. Without doubting the exhaustive search, he might have tried calling one "alum": former Attorney General Eric Holder. https://t.co/UQ58aLDB6T
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 9, 2020
Based on the DOJ’s decision to drop the charges against Flynn, Obama urged his former administration officials to support former Vice President Joe Biden for president during the phone call.
Fox News reports:
“So I am hoping that all of you feel the same sense of urgency that I do,” he said. “Whenever I campaign, I’ve always said, ‘Ah, this is the most important election.’ Especially obviously when I was on the ballot, that always feels like it’s the most important election. This one — I’m not on the ballot — but I am pretty darn invested. We got to make this happen.”
Turley’s social media post says “Obama was personally invested in this effort.”
The big question is how much did Obama know and when did he know it.
Obama surfacing to criticize the DOJ indicates he is concerned about the perjury trap his team set for Flynn and that it may ultimately be tied to himself.
The irony here, of course, is that it was Obama’s DOJ and FBI that made a mockery of the rule of law.
Remember, Democrats always accuse others of what they actually did or are doing.
Audio of Obama’s phone call was posted on social media.
Someone is getting nervous:
Obama says in private call that 'rule of law is at risk' in Michael Flynn case https://t.co/bI0FOcYCXY
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 9, 2020
