Former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify against himself and refused to answer questions “on advice of counsel” during a closed-door deposition Thursday with the House committee investigating the January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Mr. Flynn, who lost a court battle over cooperating with the congressional panel and providing records, was reportedly involved in a December 2020 Oval Office meeting in the weeks leading up to the siege on the Capitol. Participants at the meeting reportedly discussed with then-President Donald Trump the idea of confiscating voting machines and declaring emergency national security powers to contest his electoral loss to Democrat Joe Biden the previous month.
Mr. Flynn’s lawyer attacked the scope of the select investigative committee’s work and the subjects he said the former general was questioned about.
“Most of the questions lacked any relation to the legislative purpose contained in House Resolution 503, and many were clearly sourced from fringe news and conspiracy websites and rumors,” attorney David Warrington said in a statement. “No American should have to endure such harassment by the legislative branch of our government.”
Mr. Warrington also accused the panel of painting Mr. Flynn’s decision to not answer questions as “an admission of guilt.”
Other allies and advisers of Mr. Trump who have been brought in before the panel, such as Roger Stone, have also remained silent and invoked the Fifth.
Mr. Flynn previously pleaded guilty for lying to the FBI in 2017 about his pre-inauguration contacts with Russia’s ambassador to Washington, but was later pardoned by Mr. Trump before he left office.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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