More Evidence Pence Knew About Flynn's Foreign Entanglements And Did Nothing

As the threat of impeachment grows, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that Mike Pence is almost as badly tainted as Trump when it comes to the Russian investigation, especially in regard to Mike Flynn.

Today's report in the NY Times that Flynn told White House Counsel Don McGahn that he was under investigation for secretly being paid as a lobbyist for Turkey all the way back on January 4th. Pence was the supposed head of the Trump transition and it is hard to imagine that he was not made aware of Flynn's problems by McGahn.

In addition, McClatchy reports that Flynn asked the Obama administration to delay a plan to support the Syrian Kurds in their attempt to retake Raqqa from ISIS. That action by Flynn came after he had notified McGahn about being under investigation and before Trump was sworn in as President. Turkey opposes the creation of a Kurdish state and does everything it can to diminish Kurdish power. Scuttling this plan was clearly in Turkey's interest. It must be said, however, that Trump finally did approve this plan weeks later.

It also stretches credulity that Pence was not informed by McGahn of Sally Yates' warning that not only had Flynn probably broken the law in his conversations with Ambassador Kislyak, but that he had lied about those conversations, possibly even to the FBI.

What the Times report makes clear is that Pence knew Flynn had been acting as an agent of a foreign power even before Trump's inauguration. And he also probably knew that Flynn had violated the law in his discussions with the Russians and had lied about it either to Pence himself or, quite possibly, the FBI. Yet none of that knowledge seemed to effect Pence. For his entire tenure, despite knowing Flynn's contacts and entanglements with foreign governments, Pence went along with Trump in allowing Flynn to remain in his post as NSA, the man with access to the most sensitive intelligence the US has.

The rot in this administration runs to its core and stains virtually everyone in this administration.