The Morning Briefing: Flynn, Cohen Sentencing and Much, Much More

Good Thursday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president meets with the secretary of state
The president meets with governors-elect
The president and first lady attend a Christmas reception
The president and first lady attend another Christmas reception

Mike Flynn sentencing update

The judge presiding over the Michael Flynn case wants to review some papers — and I mean some FBI PAPERS — related to Flynn’s case.

District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on Wednesday ordered Flynn’s lawyers to hand over two documents: a memo that then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe wrote after speaking with Flynn ahead his Jan. 24, 2017 interview with two FBI agents and the FBI summary of notes taken during that same interview.

That summary, known as an FD-302, was compiled on Aug. 22, 2017 by the two FBI agents who interviewed Flynn. It is unclear why the summary was put together seven months after the Flynn interview.

And the clock is ticking.

Sullivan also ordered the special counsel to hand over any other memos or interview notes relevant to Flynn’s interview.

The judge set a Friday deadline to turn over the documents. He will decide on Flynn’s sentence next Monday.

Just to remind you, Mike Flynn was urged (by the fired, anti-Trump Andrew McCabe) not to bring an attorney to his meeting with FBI agents. And this: “McCabe also wrote in the memo that he and other FBI officials decided before the meeting that Flynn would not be warned ahead of the interview about the penalties of lying to the agents. McCabe noted that ‘they wanted Flynn to be relaxed’ and ‘were concerned that giving the warnings might adversely affect the rapport.'” HOLY CIVIL LIBERTIES, BATMAN! One of the agents that interviewed Flynn was Peter “insurance policy” Strzok. So you can see how this entire situation looks like a massive setup. Because it was a setup.

Cohen sentenced to three years

I’m not a lawyer, so I would need to hire one if I got into any legal messes. I would listen to my lawyer who tells me what is/isn’t legal because I don’t know. I don’t have the knowledge. I’m not a lawyer. So, if my lawyer tells me bad/wrong information, is that my fault? How is this Cohen character the victim? If anyone knows what is/isn’t kosher it’s a lawyer and yet… Cohen told the court that Trump made him “cover up his dirty deeds.”

“Time and time again, I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds, rather than listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass,” Cohen said. Well, that’s on you, bro. “It was my own weakness and a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light,” he said.

Right. Cohen isn’t spending three years in a federal penitentiary for nothing. He was obviously involved in some serious stuff — and not just covering it up, but involved. He made a lot of money (millions!) pretending he had influence with Trump once Trump was president. This guy gets no sympathy from me and he shouldn’t get it from you.

Related:

He is a convicted perjurer. What kind of witness will Cohen be? LOL. Robert Mueller is counting on Michael Cohen to deliver evidence of White House criminality

Democratic Rep. Heck: ‘This is the beginning of the end for the Trump administration’

How the National Enquirer broke up with President Trump

Congress makes deal on sexual harassment hush money

Unbeknownst to the American taxpayer, pervy elected officials had been paying off their victims from the government treasure chest. I support 100 percent revealing the names of any and all pervy officials who had their victims paid off with my money. Name and shame. Obviously, the victims should be kept anonymous, but the predators who abuse and grab at their staffers should be identified. This will never happen, but it really should.

Yesterday, the Senate and the House agreed to overhaul the hush-money regulations.

Under the terms of the compromise announced Wednesday, members of Congress would be held personally liable for sexual harassment and retaliation settlements, requiring them to reimburse the Treasury. It would also publicly identify members of Congress settle harassment claims, along with any settlements.

The agreement would also extend harassment protections to unpaid staff, including interns and congressional fellows, and create an electronic system for processing sexual harassment claims.

It’s a good start, but if the taxpayer was footing the bill for these payoffs, we have the right to know who these predators are.

Historical picture of the day: