On Thursday, presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell that he was never aware of any “criminal investigation” of Michael Flynn before leaving office in January 2017.
Biden made this statement after admitting on Tuesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he had known that “they had asked for an investigation” into Flynn.
This is a cop-out answer, because the FBI wasn't investigating @GenFlynn for a "crime." It was a counterintelligence investigation that remained open so that the FBI could trap Flynn in a lie, i.e. create a crime. https://t.co/diWGoxLh93 via @BreitbartNews
— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) May 15, 2020
Biden is All Over the Place on Michael Flynn Surveillance
Biden’s back and forth knowledge of Flynn being investigated revolves around the news Wednesday that, according to intelligence reports, the former vice president was one of the members of the Obama administration who had asked for Flynn’s name to be “unmasked.” Biden’s “unmasking” request was made on January 12, 2017, the same day Flynn’s conversations with the Russian ambassador were reported in The Washington Post by columnist David Ignatius.
Biden participated in a virtual town hall on MSNBC Thursday, where host Lawrence O’Donnell spent “less than a minute” asking Biden about the Flynn controversy.
O'DONNELL: "What was your involvement in the investigation of Michael Flynn?"
BIDEN: "I was never a part or had any knowledge of any criminal investigation into Flynn while I was in office, period. Not one single time."
No follow up or mention of Biden's unmasking request. pic.twitter.com/s4HLPgdbBZ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 15, 2020
O’Donnell asked Biden, “The issue of people wanting the attorney general to resign is over the Michael Flynn case where the attorney general is basically trying to drop the case as a federal judge questioning how that case is being dropped. Mr. Vice President, what was your involvement in the investigation of Michael Flynn and the FBI investigation of Michael Flynn?”
Biden replied, “I was never a part, or had any knowledge, of any criminal investigation into Flynn while I was in office, period. Not one single time.” There was no follow-up question from O’Donnell.
"I was never a part or had any knowledge of any criminal investigation into Flynn while I was in office. Period. Not one single time," @JoeBiden says on @MSNBC.
— Sarah Mucha CNN (@sarahmucha) May 15, 2020
On Tuesday, Biden initially told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he had known “nothing” about the Flynn investigation. But when Stephanopoulos asked Biden specifically about his presence at a January 5, 2017, meeting with President Barack Obama where it is known the Flynn investigation was discussed, Biden said, “No, I thought you asked me whether or not I had anything to do with him being prosecuted. I’m sorry. I was aware that there was— that they had asked for an investigation.”
“But that’s all I know about it and I don’t think anything else,” Biden insisted.
This piece originally appeared in ThePoliticalInsider.com and is used by permission.
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.