WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has settled a lawsuit from Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, for roughly $1.2 million. Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with a top Russian diplomat and was later pardoned.
Flynn’s Lawsuit and Settlement
Court papers filed Wednesday did not disclose the settlement amount, but a person familiar with the matter confirmed the total to be about $1.2 million. The settlement resolves a 2023 lawsuit in which Flynn sought at least $50 million, asserting that the criminal case against him amounted to a malicious prosecution.
The agreement marks a shift in position for the Justice Department, which under the Biden administration had previously sought to dismiss Flynn’s complaint. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a former personal lawyer for Trump, has publicly criticized the Russia investigation, and the Justice Department has recently opened investigations into former officials involved in that inquiry.
The Justice Department characterized the settlement as an “important step in redressing” what it described as a “historic injustice” stemming from the Russia investigation that impacted Trump’s first term. A spokesperson stated, “This Department of Justice will continue to pursue accountability at all levels for this wrongdoing. Such weaponization of the federal government must never be allowed to happen again.”
Flynn stated, “Nothing can fully compensate for the hell that my family and I have endured over these many years — the relentless attacks, the destruction of reputations, the financial ruin, and the profound personal toll inflicted upon us all. No amount of money or formal resolution can erase the pain caused by a prosecution that should never have been brought.”
Background of the Case
Flynn is one of six Trump associates charged as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The investigation determined that Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump, and that the Trump campaign welcomed that assistance, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy.
Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, served briefly as Trump’s national security adviser before being dismissed. He remained an ally of Trump even after agreeing to cooperate with Mueller’s team and was ultimately pardoned in the final weeks of Trump’s first term.
He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about discussions with the Russian envoy, Sergey Kislyak, regarding sanctions imposed by the Obama administration. During that conversation, Flynn advised Russia to remain “even-keeled” and indicated a more favorable outlook for relations after Trump took office.
The FBI investigated the conversation, concerned about potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. White House officials had publicly stated that Flynn and Kislyak had not discussed sanctions, contradicting the FBI’s information.
Flynn was ousted in February 2017 after reports surfaced that Obama administration officials had warned the White House about his discussions with Kislyak and potential vulnerability to blackmail. He later attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging prosecutorial misconduct.
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case in 2020, arguing the FBI lacked justification for interviewing Flynn about Kislyak and that his statements were not material to the counterintelligence probe. Trump pardoned Flynn in November 2020, ending the legal proceedings.
In his lawsuit, Flynn maintained his innocence, claiming he was targeted by “virulently anti-Trump leadership” within the FBI’s Russia investigation. He alleged investigators pursued him without evidence of a crime and coerced his guilty plea. The lawsuit stated he lost “tens of millions of dollars of business opportunities” and suffered “mental and emotional pain.”
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