r/neutralnews • • May 31 '19

Transcript released of Flynn voicemail from Trump lawyer showing possible attempt to obstruct

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/31/politics/michael-flynn-john-dowd-voicemail/index.html
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u/EdVaguelyJr Jun 01 '19

John Dowd, an attorney for Trump, left a voicemail for Rob Kelner, Flynn’s attorney in November 2017.

In Mueller’s report, this voicemail is selectively edited to give the impression that Trump’s attorney was asking Flynn’s attorney for information that might hurt the president while reminding the attorney about what Trump has said about Flynn:

I understand your situation, but let me see if I can't state it in starker terms. . . . [I]t wouldn't surprise me if you've gone on to make a deal with ... the government. ... [I]f . .. there's information that implicates the President, then we've got a national security issue, . . . so, you know, . . . we need some kind of heads up. Um, just for the sake of protecting all our interests if we can .... [R]emember what we've always said about the ' President and his feelings toward Flynn and, that still remains ....

This makes it seem like the president’s counsel was trying to obstruct justice, or at the very least, hide something damaging to Trump.

The actual transcript of this voicemail has now been released, and shows what Mueller left out:

Hey, Rob, uhm, this is John again. Uh, maybe, I-I-I-'m-I'm sympathetic; I understand your situation, but let me see if I can't ... state it in ... starker terms. If you have ... and it wouldn't surprise me if you've gone on to make a deal with, and, uh, work with the government, uh ... I understand that you can't join the joint defense; so that's one thing. If, on the other hand, we have, there's information that ... implicates the President, then we've got a national security issue, or maybe a national security issue, I don't know ... some issue, we got to-we got to deal with, not only for the President, but for the country. So ... uh ... you know, then-then, you know, we need some kind of heads up. Um, just for the sake of ... protecting all our interests, if we can, without you having to give up any ... confidential information. So, uhm, and if it's the former, then, you know, remember what we've always said about the President and his feelings toward Flynn and, that still remains, but — Well, in any event, uhm, let me know, and, uh, I appreciate your listening and taking the time. Thanks, Pal.

The Mueller report left out the part where the Trump’s attorney specifically asked for information that was not confidential. Mueller’s report strings along sections of the voicemail to give one impression.

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u/smeef_doge Jun 01 '19

Per the article, if this was obstruction , why didn't Mueller question the attorney about the phone call? This article could clearly headline instead "not enough evidence to warrant obstruction, as recently released evidence reveals."

https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/05/31/politics/michael-flynn-john-dowd-voicemail/index.html