Hours Before Resignation, Flynn Insisted He Didn’t Cross Line and Leakers Must Be Prosecuted

In a revealing interview with the conservative website The Daily Caller, departing former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn apparently didn’t take any of the blame for what happened, and said he didn’t “cross the line” in his discussions with the Russian Ambassador about lifting sanctions imposed by President Obama. The Daily Caller article was posted this afternoon, but the interview with Flynn appears to have been conducted on Monday, just hours before President Donald Trump asked Flynn to resign.  The reporter noted that Flynn seemed more concerned with “illegal” leaks than the underlying nature of his own conduct.

“In some of these cases, you’re talking about stuff that’s taken off of a classified system and given to a reporter. That’s a crime,” Flynn said in the phone interview.  “You call them leaks. It’s a criminal act. This is a crime. It’s not just a wink and a nod,” Flynn told the outlet. Flynn could not pinpoint where the leaks originated but questioned whether they came from someone within the National Security Council or the intel community. Flynn’s concerns seem to echo Donald Trump — and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer who told reporters on Tuesday that they should really be turning their attention to these “illegal” leaks.

In his resignation letter that was sent out to reporters late Thursday night, Flynn did seem to take some responsibility for what occurred.

“Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador … I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology”