People in New York who may ever have been involved in any case involving federal criminal charges know just how complicated these matters can be. There may be nuances and the smallest of details that may make the difference between something being able to be identified as a federal crime or not. A current example of this can be seen in the matter of the former National Security Advisor.
The beginnings of this go back the time between the 2016 presidential election and the January 2017 inauguration. In December, the then-administration was pushing to impose sanctions on Russia because of alleged interference in the recent election. Initially the Russians appeared ready to retaliate diplomatically but the to-be National Security Advisor is reported to have asked a Russian ambassador to hold back on any action against the United States, stating that once the new President takes office, any actions against Russia would be lifted or eased up.
For many months, the National Security Advisor denied these allegations including during times when other ranking officials are said to have indicated that these conversations took place. Now, the man who was briefly the National Security Advisor has stated he did in fact have such conversations and that he lied to federal officials. It is not yet known what penalties he may face if he is convicted or what other details are involved in a potential plea agreement.
For any case involving serious federal criminal charges, defendants in New York might find working with an experienced lawyer a good way of understanding their options for a defense.
Source: The Washington Post, “Michael Flynn’s guilty plea: A comprehensive timeline,” Glenn Kessler, December 1, 2017