VIDEO: Leon Panetta, Trump Team Broke Norms not the Law by talking with Russians

The main stream media is cheering that retired Lieutenant General and interim National Security Advisor to the Trump administration has plead guilty to lying to an FBI agent. This has nothing to do with Russian collusion during the election. According to the Los Angeles Times this involves “‘very senior member’ of Trump’s transition team who directed Flynn to contact Russia’s envoy last year [2016], according to the filings.”

Contacting the Russian envoy during the transition, even if ordered by President Trump himself, is a nothing burger.

Former Congressman Alan West writes:

Leon Panetta, President Obama’s former Secretary of Defense has his own opinion on today’s Michael Flynn revelations. According to the former SECDEF, what was revealed today could be considered a violation of norms but not a violation of the law. In the video[below], you will hear what he has to say.

There is nothing wrong with an administration making contact with foreign governments as they begin building a transition team. In this case, it was probably even more excusable because the Obama administration set a course to create obstacles to international diplomacy for the Trump administration. Never before had an outgoing President done so much to undermine an incoming President on the world stage.

As long as the incoming President did not start negotiating international deals or tried to undermine the sitting president, it should be viewed as no harm and no foul.

General Flynn stated at the court hearing, “But I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong, and through my faith in God, I am working to set things right. My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the special counsel’s office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country.”

President Trump’s lawyer, Ty Cobb, dismissed what happened saying, “Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn.”

RELATED ARTICLE: Lying to FBI Is Illegal; How About the FBI Lying to Us?

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