Daily US Times: US President Donald Trump has pardoned Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Mr Flynn was the president’s former national security adviser.
Mr Trump said the widely expected act of clemency was his “Great Honor”.
Michael Flynn was among former aides to President Donald Trump convicted during a justice department investigation into alleged Russian election interference.
The former national security advisor admitted in 2017 to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia’s envoy, then tried to withdraw his plea.
The retired US Army three-star lieutenant general was an early and ardent supporter of President Trump during the 2016 campaign, though he had been a life-long Democrat before.
On Wednesday, the White House said that the pardon would finally end “the relentless, partisan pursuit of an innocent man.”
The White House statement described Mr Flynn as “the victim of partisan government officials engaged in a co-ordinated attempt to subvert the election of 2016”.
Mr Flynn responded by posting a tweet containing a US flag emoji and a Biblical verse, Jeremiah 1:19.
“‘They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord,” the verse says.
Mr Flynn’s supporters consider him as the victim of a political vendetta by the outgoing Barack Obama administration to de-legitimise the incoming Donald Trump administration with unsubstantiated claims of Russian collusion.
A 22-month justice department investigation concluded last year, there was no evidence to establish that Mr Trump or any of his aides and associates had conspired with the Kremlin to win the 2016 election.
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