Ari Fleischer: Flynn, Kushner Made 'Mistake' on Russia

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Friday that Michael Flynn and Jared Kushner might have made a "mistake" in reaching out to Russian officials last year — "but it certainly isn't a crime."

Fleischer, who served in the George W. Bush administration, took to Twitter:

We only have one potus at a time, so this was a mistake by Jared and Flynn. But it certainly isn’t a crime. https://t.co/sevyVpAoU3

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 1, 2017

Flynn, 58, whom President Donald Trump fired as national security adviser in February over concerns about his disclosures on his Russian contacts, pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about those dealings.

He also agreed to cooperate with the investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller — and Flynn faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

NBC News also reported Friday that Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, directed Flynn to approach Moscow officials around Dec. 22 about a United Nations resolution on Israeli settlements.

Flynn was a Trump foreign policy adviser at the time.

President Barack Obama was in office at the time of the reported outreach, as Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20.

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