The Washington Post reported today that Michael Flynn, the retired general picked by Donald Trump to head the National Security Agency, “inappropriately shared” classified information with foreign military officers when he served in Afghanistan. Flynn was not disciplined following an investigation by the Army because he did not act “knowingly” and that “there was no actual or potential damage to national security as a result” according to documents obtained by the Post.
Flynn became a prominent figure in the Trump campaign during the Republican convention when he railed against Hillary Clinton’s use of classified information, leading the delegates in chants of “lock her up.” The slogan became a mainstay of Trump rallies, both during the campaign and in his current victory tour. There were no allegations that Clinton inappropriately shared classified information, and the FBI concluded criminal charges were not warranted.
Flynn was appointed as the Director of the Defense Intelligence during the Obama Administration in 2012 before being forced out two years later.
The Post also reported that it was the second time within a year that then-General Flynn was accused of mishandling classified material according to “former U.S. officials” when he have information to Pakistan in 2009. In his GOP convention remarks, Flynn said “if I did a tenth, a tenth of what she did, I would be in jail today.”
Tom Noonan 