Welcome to Sott.net
Fri, 05 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Briefcase

Michael Flynn's relationship with federal prosecutors appears to have gone south - Flynn now refusing to give 'inaccurate testimony'

michael flynn
© Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images
Prosecutors say that former national security adviser Michael Flynn is now backing away from some of the statements he made to Robert Mueller's team
Government lawyers have dropped plans for Flynn to be the star witness at his former business partner's upcoming trial.

A federal judge in Washington is demanding answers from both prosecutors and lawyers for former national security adviser Michael Flynn after Flynn's relationship with prosecutors apparently soured to the point he was dropped as a government witness for the looming trial for his former business partner.

Flynn had been expected to be the prosecution's star witness at the trial of businessman Bijan Rafiekian on charges related to lobbying and public relations work the two men did that prosecutors contend was an influence campaign secretly backed by the Turkish government.

Comment: Sarah Carter clears away the spin:
[...]

The evidence collected by Flynn's current defense Attorney Sidney Powell, who recently replaced Flynn's former defense attorney Robert Kelner, sheds new light on the extraordinary tactics used to target and retaliate against Flynn, according to the filing.

Further, Powell's submission to the court also reveals that Flynn and his attorneys were under extreme pressure to file a Foreign Agents Registration Act in February, 2017 by David Laufman, the former head of the National Security Division.

Flynn was forced to file his FARA registration in February 2017, "under extreme and unprecedented pressure from extensive interactions with the National Security Division including then- NSD head David Laufman." Laufman resigned shortly after on Feb. 8, 2017, during DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz's investigation into the FBI's probe of Hillary Clinton's use of a private server to send classified emails.

Further, Flynn's former counsel had advised prosecutors that "Mr. Flynn did not know and did not authorize signing the FARA form believing there is anything wrong in it. He honesty answered the questions his former counsel posed to him to the best of his recollection, and some with the benefit of hindsight."

The government's case against Rafiekian, 66, and Kamil Ekim Alptekin, 41, a Turkish national, involve Flynn's former security firm Flynn Intel Group. Rafiekian, who goes by the last name Kian, and Alptekin were indicted December, 2018, on conspiracy, and acting in the United States as illegal agents of the government of Turkey. Notably that indictment came just in time to provide any encouragement Flynn might have needed to cement his guilty plea in Judge Emmet Sullivan's court.

The pair were also charged with making false statements to the FBI, according to the Department of Justice. According to the charges, Rafiekian, is charged with "conspiracy and acting in the United States as an illegal agent of the government of Turkey." Basically, they are charging Kian with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which is rarely prosecuted. According to Ms. Powell's brief, the government has recently been insistent that Flynn admit that he knowingly and intentionally allowed FARA documents to filed on behalf of his former security firm Flynn Intel Group by his former counsel at Covington and Burling.

Flynn, who has been cooperating with the government throughout its investigation, has given hundreds of hours of interviews and information at great personal expense in time, travel and attorneys fees. Still, the government prosecutor, Evan Turgeon, was not satisfied, according to the defense filing. So much so, that the prosecutors re-interviewed Flynn's former attorney Kelner about the FARA filing.

"The prosecutors have been adamant that Mr. Flynn testify that he authorized the filing of the FARA form knowing and intending that it contained false statements," the defense filing states. "Mr. Flynn cannot give that testimony because it is not true."

Flynn's former counsel, Kelner, admitted they had to make difficult judgement calls regarding the filing because of the extreme pressure and they did so with the advice of the National Security Division, the filing states.

However, during trial on June 28, Judge Anthony Trenga, who is presiding over the case against Kian, pressed prosecutors nearly half a dozen times to explain what laws were violated, regarding an op-ed that was published by the firm and the issue of lobbying.

"That's what I'm having trouble understanding here," the judge said, as reported by Politico. "It's a convoluted statute."

Powell contends in the filing that the government cannot now designate Flynn a coconspirator in Kian's case, because prosecutors stated in open court on June 13 that Flynn is not a coconspirator and made numerous identical representations to Flynn's new attorneys. Flynn has been a cooperating witness for the government and continues to cooperate fully with the government, she states in her brief. The court has not ruled on the government's request and could even wait until trial to make the decision.

In fact, prosecutors stipulated "that Mr. Flynn is not a coconspirator in the case before the court." The defense team notes that this is not a mere 'Correction of the Record" that the government sought, but a complete and unwarranted "about-face."

Powell's recent filing with the Eastern District of Virginia was in response to a government filing that the defense team was made aware of only on July 7. According to the filing the government prosecutors are requesting that the court now designate Flynn as a coconspirator in their case against Rafiekian. Prosecutors stated that the request was based on a document that the government itself concedes can be submitted without designating Flynn a coconspirator.

The question is why would the government want to all the sudden do an 'about face' on Flynn? It appears to be in response to their failure to strong-arm Flynn into telling them what they want to hear, rather than the truth. In fact, government prosecutors stipulated numerous times to the court that Flynn was a full cooperating witness and the defense filing makes that clear as well.

"The government's 'about face' is not a correction of the record," states the defense. "There is no misstatement or typographical error which can simply be 'corrected.' The prosecutors made deliberate and affirmative admissions to counsel and this court" that constitute judicial admissions binding under the law.



Dig

Georgia, digging below the surface for the REAL story

Michael Carpenter
© Razm.info
Dr. Michael Carpenter
What is going on? Is Dr. Michael Carpenter a mini-John Bolton in the making?

The timing of the recent protests was to be expected. They sound as if Joe Biden is about ready to use Georgia for his "doomed" presidential campaign in much in the same vein as John McCain attempted to do back in August 2008. The explanation of what happened during the protests depends on who you are listening to, and how you well you are able to separate fact from the carefully-crafted rhetoric.

One of the first things to do when evaluating the situation is to read some of the English language news sites, especially those heavily funded by NED ... or the "National Endowment for Destabilization" as it should be called, and other likeminded organisations which operate under the guise of spreading democracy in Georgia.

You will naturally find op-eds there, albeit with disclaimers such as Russian Soft Power Fails, Pointing the Way to a New Georgian Consensus, but consider the clients of the author; these appear to be biased. Each one reads as if drafted by VOA or other such mouthpieces of US policy, while their delivery mechanism purports to be neutral and professional.

Such articles present those who support traditional Georgian values including the Georgian Orthodox Church hierarchs and their anti-liberal followers, as a "domestic constituency", described as "a growing and active minority within the Georgian electorate."

Comment: See also:


Footprints

As Iran steps up enrichment, it steps away from the nuclear deal...what's next depends on US and EU nuclear diplomacy

Rouhani
© mandurahmail.com
President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani
Pushing back against US sanctions and European inaction on trade, Iran is stepping up its uranium enrichment. How far will Tehran go to apply pressure on the West, and how will the Europeans respond?

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or Iran Deal) set a uranium enrichment cap of 3.67 percent. Tehran sailed past the cap on Monday, with a spokesman for the country's nuclear agency announcing it had reached 4.5 percent, and would consider upping enrichment to 20 percent. The International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors confirmed the news later on Monday.

In addition, the Islamic Republic broke its 300kg low-enriched uranium stockpile limit less than a week ago.

While easily reversed, Iran maintains that these steps are "remedial," and permitted by the 2015 agreement. Tehran wants the European parties to the deal to honor their trade commitments with Iran and deal in Iranian oil - a violation of American sanctions.

What can Iran do with 20 percent enriched uranium?

An enrichment level of 4.5 percent "completely satisfies the power plant fuel requirements of the country," nuclear agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Monday. Previously, Iran's only nuclear power plant at Bushehr was running on imported Russian fuel, enriched to a level of five percent.

Arrow Down

Federal court: Trump cannot block Twitter critics (but the big social media giants can?)

Trump figure,twitter drags
© Wall Street Journal/Shutterstock/KJN
A federal appeals court in New York has upheld a decision barring President Donald Trump from blocking critics from his personal Twitter account, arguing that he uses the platform for "official purposes."

The president limiting public access to his Twitter account, which has amassed nearly 62 million followers, would be a violation of the First Amendment, the three-judge panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled unanimously on Tuesday. Circuit Judge Barrington Parker in his opinion wrote:
"The First Amendment does not permit a public official who utilizes a social media account for all manner of official purposes to exclude persons from an otherwise-open online dialogue because they expressed views with which the official disagrees."
The case was first brought in 2017 by the Knight First Amendment Institute, on behalf of seven Twitter users who had been blocked by the president on the platform, and resulted in the May 2018 ruling that initially took away Trump's "block" button.

The White House appealed the decision, but the courts nonetheless ordered the president to unblock the accounts, which included that of Democrat organizer Holly Figueroa, journalist Rebecca Buckwalter of the ultra-progressive Daily Kos, and dedicated Trump troll Eugene Gu.

Comment: See also:


Question

Zelensky may have an ultimatum for Donbass, but is he able to deliver it?

Zelenskiy
© Reuters/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy Lugansk region, Ukraine, July 7, 2019
New Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has set conditions for lifting Kiev's economic blockade of the eastern breakaway republics. But is he in any position to give such ultimatums, held hostage as he is in his own capital?

Zelensky says if the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics (LPR and DPR) want to restore an economic relationship with Kiev, they have to first return the businesses located in their territories under government control. "We can restore everything in the nearest future, but for that to happen, please return to us the illegally nationalized businesses located in the temporarily occupied territories," he said at a press conference, using Kiev's official term for the two breakaway regions.

Taking control of those businesses was a response to Kiev's break with them, the LPR's official representative responded. Rodion Miroshnik told RIA:
"It was the Ukrainian Defense Council's unilateral decision to stop all economic relations between the businesses located in the republics and those located in the Kiev-controlled parts of the country. It was not a nationalization that followed, but an introduction of outside management in the abandoned businesses so that thousands of people wouldn't be left unemployed."
In any event, Zelensky's attempts to set preconditions for the rebel regions ring hollow if one looks at his accomplishments back in Kiev - where he seems to be getting stonewalled at every turn both by the parliament and by the nationalist movement, which has gained tremendous momentum following the 2014 coup and the subsequent rule of Zelensky's predecessor Poroshenko.

Comment: See also:


Snakes in Suits

Iran hawks and the many lies they tell

Bolton/Netanyahu
© 1 US National Security Advisor John Bolton, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, CBN News/twitter/KJN
Iran Hawks: US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu
Over the last few days, we have been treated to the spectacle of watching leading opponents of the nuclear deal demand that Iran adhere to the limits set by the deal they have vehemently denounced and undermined for years. On the one hand, the opponents insist that the deal is the worst ever negotiated, but they are still acting as if they are furious that Iran is breaching it. We should understand that this is mostly or entirely an act for public consumption. Iran hawks want the deal to fall apart. They have been working to bring about the deal's collapse for years. They are belatedly wrapping themselves in the JCPOA now because they hope it may give them an opportunity to inflict more punishment on Iran. In so doing, they hope to force Iran out of the deal so that they have their pretext for a conflict.

This newfound admiration for the nuclear deal's restrictions has been accompanied by the lie that the only reason Iran would exceed its stockpile limits and increase enrichment (to 4.5%, far short of what is needed to produce weapons-grade uranium) is to build nuclear weapons. Bolton, Trump, and, Netanyahu have all made statements to this effect in the last week.

X

US cancels Brexit trade talks due to ambassador scandal

Trump/Darroch
© Otago Daily Times/Arab News Today
US President Donald Trump • UK Ambassador to US Kim Darroch
Long-scheduled talks between US and UK trade officials were suddenly called off amid a scandal involving British Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch and his scathing criticism of President Donald Trump revealed in private memos.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross called off the planned meeting with his British counterpart Liam Fox, solely on the expectation that Ambassador Darroch would attend, a Trump administration source told the Washington Examiner. The source added that the leaks had opened a "rift" in the White House, which continues to grow.

In a string of communiques between London and the ambassador, which were made public this week, Darroch described Trump at different times as "inept,""incompetent" and "insecure." In one cable, the ambassador opined that the US administration remained "dysfunctional" and "diplomatically clumsy," among other unflattering descriptors.

The release of the memos has rocked relations between the two close allies. In response to the revelations, Trump tweeted that his administration would "no longer deal" with the British ambassador, whom he described as a "very stupid guy" and "a pompous fool."

Comment: See also:


Arrow Down

Zarif: Netanyahu and Bolton killed the 2005 talks, 'lured' Trump to shred 2015 deal

Neti/Bolton
© Flickr/US Embassy Jerusalem
Israeli PM Netanyahu • US National Security Advisor Bolton
National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scuppered a 2005 nuclear agreement between Iran and the west, and did the same with President Trump, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said.

"Bolton & Netanyahu killed Paris agreement between E3 & Iran in '05 by insisting on zero enrichment," Zarif tweeted on Tuesday. "Result? Iran increased its enrichment 100 fold by 2012."

Referring to Bolton and Netanyahu as the "B Team," Zarif then said that "they've lured Donald Trump into killing JCPOA w/the same delusion," referring to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or Iran Nuclear Deal.

Comment: See also:


Better Earth

China's expansion of free-trade zones is part of opening up its economy

Shanghai
© Reuters/Aly Song
Shanghai, a free trade zone
China's Ministry of Commerce has announced plans to establish six new pilot free-trade zones (FTZs), as well as the expansion of the Shanghai free-trade zone.

The move will further optimize the country's FTZ strategy, according to the ministry's spokesperson Gao Feng. He said China has been opening up more sectors of the economy as it is committed to providing better services and environment for foreign investors. Authorities have been easing market access in agriculture, mining, manufacturing industries and services.

The improvement of the business environment will help further stimulate market innovation and drive economic growth, Gao said. China's foreign direct investment surged four percent year-on-year to $139 billion in 2018.

"As China's economy is transitioning to a phase of high-quality growth, the country needs to further open up its economy," said Li Gang, director of the academic committee of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, as quoted by China Daily.

In March, the country revealed plans to set up a national offshore pilot trade area at the Yangpu economic development zone (EDZ) in South China's Hainan Province. The new offshore area will promote investment-facilitation policies in areas such as trade, finance and local currency settlement.

Comment: See also:


Nuke

US to Iran: Full normalization of relations for reversal of nuclear steps

Kamalvandi, Raviei, Araghchi
© AP
Spokesmen: Iran’s atomic agency Behrouz Kamalvandi • Iranian government Ali Rabiei • Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
The United States offered Iran the full normalization of relations in exchange for Tehran's commitment to reverse its recent nuclear steps and cease any plans for further uranium enrichment.

US Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ambassador Jackie Wolcott said in a press release on Wednesday: "The United States has made clear that we are open to negotiation without preconditions and that we are offering Iran the possibility of full normalisation of relations." According to the US, Tehran has to "reverse its recent nuclear steps and cease any plans for further advancements in the future".

Addressing the issue, the spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Behrouz Kamalvandi, criticised Washingon for withdrawing from the JCPOA. "It was a huge mistake by Americans to leave the deal ... that has caused all the problems. The European [parties to the deal] had enough time to salvage the pact", he stated.