Trump pardons General M. Flynn

(Patria) – US President Donald Trump has officially approved the expected pardon of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacts with a Russian official.

"It is my great honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been fully pardoned. Congratulations to General Flynn and his wonderful family, you now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!" Trump announced on Twitter on Wednesday.

Trump is expected to approve a number of pardons for his key aides and allies in the coming days before he leaves office on January 20.

He has already commuted the prison sentence of Roger Stone, a long-time ally who, like Flynn, campaign manager Paul Manafort, and advisor George Papadopoulos, was convicted as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the US presidential election.

Stone was sentenced to three years in prison for obstruction, lying to Congress, and witness intimidation.

Flynn was not sentenced to prison, and his pardon was expected – although it has been met with fierce criticism from Democrats.

A retired general, Flynn was a trusted confidant of Trump during the 2016 campaign. However, he lasted only 24 days in the White House before Trump fired him after it was determined that he had misled Vice President M. Pence about a conversation with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, telling him not to respond to sanctions imposed by the Obama administration. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Trump later publicly supported Flynn on several occasions, including a Twitter post in December 2017: "I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He pleaded guilty. It is a disgrace because his actions during the transition were lawful. Nothing should be hidden!"

Trump also pardoned former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, as well as former Arizona Sheriff J. Arpaio.  

The US Department of Justice interprets a pardon as "an acknowledgement of guilt and acceptance of responsibility for a crime," as well as "good behavior over a significant period of time" during or after serving a sentence, but that it "does not mean innocence," the Guardian writes.