The Army is analyzing an investigation by the Department of Defense (DOD) internal watchdog over the international negotiations of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, an Army spokesman confirmed to The Hill.
In an e-mailed statement, Army spokeswoman Colonel Cathy Wilkinson said that “the Army’s interim secretary has received the DoD Inspector General’s case for review.”
The review could result in tens of thousands of dollars worth of penalties against Flynn, according to The Washington Post.
Dwrena Allen, spokesman for the Pentagon’s inspector general, told CNN in a statement that the watchdog began its investigation in April 2017 on an allegation that Flynn “failed to obtain the necessary approval from the Army and the State Department before receiving any fee from a foreign government or an entity controlled by a foreign government . ”
The investigation was put on “suspension,” or temporary suspension, in June 2017, amid criminal allegations against Flynn by the Justice Department, Allen told the news agency. Allen also said that the DOJ allowed the watchdog to withdraw its investigation after President Trump
Donald TrumpPentagon gets criticized for extending Guard time at the Capitol Fundraising points to Trump-GOP cracks Trump’s rally organizer says Alex Jones threatened to take her off the stage: report MORE forgave Flynn in late November.
“On January 27, 2021, we closed our investigation against LTG Flynn and referred a number of administrative matters to the Interim Army Secretary for review and appropriate action,” she told the media.
The investigation was centered around the money that Flynn received from Russian and Turkish entities after his retirement from the Army in 2014, according to the Publish, who first reported the referral.
The Post noted that DOD “can seek debt collection” if a retired service member does not obtain approval to accept foreign payments. The agency cannot collect more than someone earned in retirement during a period of unauthorized employment.
Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with leading Russian diplomats and agreed to join a former special attorney Robert Mueller
Robert (Bob) MuellerWhy a special lawyer is guaranteed if Biden chooses Yates, Cuomo or Jones as AG Barr calls on the lawyer investigating the origins of the investigation in Russia as CNN’s special lawyer Toobin warns that McCabe is in ‘dangerous condition’ with the encouraged Trump MOREthe investigation of the Trump campaign and Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential elections.
The retired three-star general withdrew the request in 2020 and the DOJ sought to drop the charges against him.
Flynn returned to the spotlight last year, supporting Trump’s repeated claims that the 2020 election was tainted due to widespread electoral fraud.
Updated at 22h02