Scott Tibbs
Applying the Bill Clinton standard to Michael Flynn
By Scott Tibbs, May 20, 2020
The Democratic Party establishment and the liberal news media wants one standard for Democrats and a totally different standard for Republicans. This can be clearly seen in the treatment of General Michael Flynn and the efforts to bring him down despite having committed no crime.
Michael Flynn was the incoming national security advisor for the Trump Administration when he was "interviewed" by the FBI over a meeting with a Russian official. The pretense of the meeting was the Logan Act, which makes it illegal for American citizens to conduct their own foreign policy. There are serious constitutional questions about the constitutionality of the Logan Act, because even tweeting at the official account of a foreign embassy could be illegal.
But even if the Logan Act is constitutional, there is no violation of the "law" in a foreign policy official of an incoming administration meeting with someone from a foreign government. A process crime was invented despite the fact that there was no underlying crime. It is an absurd abuse of power.
But let's take a trip down memory lane. Back in 1998 Democrats argued it did not matter that Bill Clinton lied under oath, because he had just "lied about sex." But Clinton's lie was material to a sexual harassment lawsuit, and was designed to thwart a court proceeding. If Clinton's lie can be excused, then Flynn's lie about something that was legal and proper certainly should not be prosecuted.
If anything, this demonstrates the need for reform. Michael Flynn has powerful allies, including within the Justice Department itself. An average citizen prosecuted for a process crime has no such allies and could easily be railroaded despite having committed no crime prior to speaking with an FBI agent. I hope Republicans outraged about the corruption of this process can see the need to protect everyone's rights.
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