Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, the leader of the House Freedom Caucus, often looks at things differently from most people. And last night was no exception.
After reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s sentencing report on former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Meadows reached a conclusion that was shared by almost no other intelligent person. The sentencing report, he said, was “good news for President Trump” because “there is no mention of collusion.”
The conservative Meadows, known to be a big Trump supporter, was a guest of Sean Hannity on Fox News late Tuesday night. He said:
“I have looked at this report and, yes, everybody is going to focus on what has been redacted. But let’s look at what is not in there. There is no suggestion that Michael Flynn had anything to do with collusion. He was with the transition team. He was part of the campaign. And, yet, there is no mention of collusion.”
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Then he continued with his pipe dream, saying:
“I think it’s good news for President Trump tonight that this is what has come down to. Even though they said he substantially cooperated, I think he substantially cooperated to say that there was no collusion and we can look at it with that in mind.”
Meadows’ unique perspective came just a few hours after Mueller released the sentencing report recommending that Flynn not be imprisoned. Mueller cited Flynn’s “substantial assistance” in the special counsel investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, and other crimes.
Under federal sentencing guidelines for the crime to which he pleaded guilty, Flynn could legally be sentenced to no time or up to six months in prison, and also be ordered to pay a $9,500 fine.
Before getting involved with the Trump campaign, Flynn was a retired three-star general who had also served in the Obama administration in senior U.S. Army positions.
Hannity, a strong supporter of the president, and one of his closest advisers, said that Mueller’s treatment of Flynn was “a sad and pathetic moment.” He said that Mueller disrespected all U.S. troops with his sentencing of Flynn.
“This is how America’s gonna treat a military hero?” Hannity asked before interviewing Meadows. “This is a sad and pathetic moment for not only the special counsel, but for the country.”
Despite what Hannity and Meadows say, Mueller’s report was a disaster for President Trump, and probably for many others close to him. Flynn has told Mueller everything he knows, and showed that he truly is a patriot and a good American. Flynn also has helped Mueller with his investigations which will probably soon lead to even more indictments, guilty pleas, and criminal convictions.
Just because the unredacted portions of the sentencing memo don’t mention the word “collusion” doesn’t mean that Mueller won’t be able to prove that there was such collusion (also known as conspiracy against the United States.)
Sean Hannity and Mark Meadows are living in a dream world, and Robert Mueller is about to burst their bubble and bring them — and Donald Trump — back to reality.
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
