The judge in Michael Flynn’s court case has suggested the matter could be far from over—despite the Department of Justice sensationally dropping their case against Trump’s short-lived national security adviser last week. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials and he was blasted last year by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who said, “You sold your country out.” Sentencing was delayed after the former Army general sought to change his guilty plea. However, in an extraordinary turn of events, the DOJ asked to withdraw the case, arguing that the FBI’s investigation of Flynn was flimsy and legally marginal.
In a minute order filed on Tuesday, Sullivan indicated that he might not be willing to grant the DOJ’s request so readily. He wrote that, “given the current posture of this case,” he anticipated that outside organizations and individuals might want to file amicus briefs, and he should set down a schedule for it. Such briefs are filed by parties who aren’t directly involved in the case but have a strong interest in it or could be affected by the outcome.
