[guest post by Dana]

Michael Flynn faced an angry judge at his sentencing hearing :

A federal judge on Tuesday postponed the sentencing for Michael Flynn after he lambasted President Trump’s former national security adviser for trying to undermine the country and warned he might not spare Flynn from prison.

The stunning development means that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s engagement with Flynn will continue for some months longer, leaving Flynn to wonder whether he will lose his freedom. Flynn’s attorney requested the delay after the judge’s opinion became apparent, hoping further cooperation with law enforcement could earn the court’s mercy.

From the start, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan made clear he was infuriated by Flynn’s conduct — both in lying to the FBI while in the White House, and working to advance the interests of the Turkish government while he was a part of Trump’s campaign.

The judge seemed to take particular umbrage at the suggestion made by Flynn and his supporters, just before the sentencing, that he was duped by the FBI. Early in the hearing, Sullivan forced Flynn to admit publicly that he knew lying to the bureau was illegal, and that he was guilty of a crime. Later, the judge pointed to an American flag as he berated the former three-star general for his misdeeds.

“Arguably, that undermines everything this flag over here stands for,” the judge said. “Arguably, you sold your country out.”

Flynn, standing straight and flanked by attorneys on either side, looked shaken, his jaw clenched.

Also, the judge cautioned Flynn:

The judge said he would take into account Flynn’s cooperation, but he also detailed Flynn’s crimes.

“I’m not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense,” Sullivan said.

He issued Flynn a warning, and asked if he might like to postpone the sentencing, so he could keep cooperating with the special counsel’s office.

“I cannot assure you, if you proceed today, you will not receive a sentence of incarceration,” Sullivan said.

The administration responded to today’s developments with this from Sarah Sanders:

“The FBI broke standard protocol in the way that they came in and ambushed General Flynn.”

Tweeting before today’s hearing, President Trump wished Flynn “good luck”:

Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion!

Have at it.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

Winning! Winning so hard … we are bailing out the victims of our policies that are making us win:

The Trump administration will move forward with plans to distribute a second round of payments to farmers caught in the crosshairs of a trade war with China.

“Today I am making good on my promise to defend our farmers and ranchers from unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations,” President Donald Trump said via Twitter Monday.

In July, his administration announced it would deliver as much as $12 billion in aid to farmers after Beijing slapped retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, including 25 percent duties on soybeans. Nations including Mexico had also taken trade action against U.S. farm goods this year.

Today I am making good on my promise to defend our Farmers & Ranchers from unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. I have authorized Secretary Perdue to implement the 2nd round of Market Facilitation Payments. Our economy is stronger than ever–we stand with our Farmers!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 17, 2018

Farmers form part of the rural base that helped catapult Trump into the White House. The administration distributed some $4.7 billion in the first round of direct government aid. With tensions between Trump and China showing signs of thawing, there was uncertainty within the agriculture industry as to when or if the second round would be distributed.

In a statement Monday, the U.S. Agriculture Department put the total payment at $9.57 billion.

If you opposed the 2009 bailout of the financial industry, it’s hard to see how you could support this trade war and the concomitant bailouts.

But, he said with a tired sigh, I’m sure some Trump superfan will try to explain how this is all consistent.

As for me, I am well and truly tired of such “winning.” If this is winning, I’d rather lose.

P.S. It’s an old chestnut, but this is the season for chestnuts. Roast this Harry Browne quote on your open fire:

The government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, and then hand you a crutch and say, “See if it weren’t for the government, you wouldn’t be able to walk.”

Break a leg!

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]