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Flynn Judge Faces Ethics Complaints After Head-Scratching Move

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The federal judge hearing the case of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn made waves Tuesday by saying he would open up the process to hear “friend of the court” submissions from a liberal group despite the fact that the Justice Department has already said it wants to dismiss the case.

The action by D.C. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Bill Clinton, effectively puts the government’s effort to drop the charges on hold.

Sullivan said he will, “at the appropriate time,” develop a schedule for arguments against the Justice Department’s plan to drop the case, according to The Washington Post.

Flynn’s defense objected to the stall.

“No rule allows this filing,” attorney Sidney Powell wrote in her own court filing, noting that Sullivan would not accept outside groups’ comments in the past.

“This Court has consistently — on twenty-four (24) previous occasions — summarily refused to permit any third party to inject themselves or their views into this case,” she said.

Powell said courts cannot “usurp the role of the government’s counsel.”

“This travesty of justice has already consumed three or more years of an innocent man’s life — and that of his entire family,” Powell wrote. “No further delay should be tolerated or any further expense caused to him and his defense.”

Flynn Filing by The Western Journal on Scribd

Last week, the Justice Department announced that it would drop charges against Flynn, setting the stage for what Powell said she expected would be a formal action this week to dismiss the case.

Does this move show Judge Sullivan is biased?

However, on Monday, a group called “Watergate Prosecutors” sought to file a friend-of-the-court brief opposing the Justice Department’s plan to drop the charges.

The group claimed it had a “unique perspective on the need for independent scrutiny and oversight to ensure that crucial decisions about prosecutions of high-ranking government officials are made in the public interest.”

Sullivan’s effort to cater to the group’s request was attacked on Twitter by commentator Michael Cernovich, who said an ethics complaint against Sullivan will be forthcoming.

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“Judge Sullivan, who denied leave to file amicus briefs when he knew third parties would have spoken favorably of Flynn, now solicits briefs critical of Flynn. This is a violation of the judicial oath and applicable ethical rules. We will be filing a complaint against Sullivan,” he tweeted.

Fox News reported that Cernovich might file his own amicus brief.

The “Watergate Prosecutors” group includes Jill Wine-Banks, who is currently marketing her book, “The Watergate Girl.”

Wine-Banks previously has said that there was collusion between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia and supported the investigation of former special counsel Robert Mueller, which failed to find any such collusion.

On Tuesday, Trump retweeted a post that referred to Wine-Banks as a “Trump/Russia collusion nutter.”

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Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
Location
New York City
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues




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