Flynn is a danger
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To the editor:
At 2016 rallies, former General Michael Flynn shouted “Lock her up,” aimed at Hillary Clinton.
Now the recently pardoned Flynn has made it obvious that he should still be locked up. He has called on Trump to “declare martial law, suspend habeas corpus, institute military tribunals, and suspend the electoral college,” in other words a military takeover of the government. His call to suspend the Constitution comes very close to *treason.
Flynn’s 33 year military career has a checkered record. During the Grenada invasion he served with distinction. But as the director of intelligence of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan 2009-2010, he was reprimanded for sharing classified U.S. intelligence information on the Haqqani network to Pakistani officials. The network, accused of attacking American troops, was a proxy ally of Pakistan.
In 2013, Flynn was the first U.S. officer to be allowed inside the GRU, Russian military intelligence. Stefan Halper, who had worked for three Republicans presidents, a long time informant for the American Intelligence community, believed that Flynn’s relationship with a Russian woman resulted in him being compromised by Russian intelligence.
In 2014, he was forced into retirement by DIA director Vincent R. Stewart. Colin Powell said he had heard that Flynn was forced out because he was “abusive with staff, didn’t listen, worked against policy, bad management…
According to the New York Times, “Flynn exhibited a loose relationship with the truth, leading his subordinates to refer to Flynn’s dubious assertions as “Flynn facts.”
As a private citizen, Flynn and his son formed a consulting company that worked closely with Turkey and with Russia receiving large payments for their services.
Did he commit treason in calling for the overthrow of the government by the military? Not according to the Constitution. *Treason, against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.”
I find the fact that he would bring up for consideration such a radical move to be alarming and a danger to our democracy.
Mary Kathryn Gepner
Benton