CNN and Politico reported Friday night that former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn contacted at least one member of Congress just months into his cooperation agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Flynn sent Twitter direct messages to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) in April 2018 to “keep the pressure on.”
“You stay on top of what you’re doing. Your leadership is so vital for our country now. Keep the pressure on,” Flynn also wrote.
CNN notes that Flynn messaged Gaetz within an hour of the Florida lawmaker’s appearance on Fox Business’ “Lou Dobbs Tonight” where he criticized the Mueller probe.
Additionally, CNN and Politico report that Flynn messaged Gaetz the day of Attorney General Bill Barr’s confirmation in February. Flynn sent Gaetz GIFs of a bald eagle and an American flag without any accompanying text.
Although Gaetz confirmed that he received Flynn’s messages, he denies responding to them and said he did not have a prior relationship with Flynn.
It’s unclear if Flynn messaged other lawmakers or whether Mueller knew of Flynn’s outreach to them.
There is no indication that Flynn’s messages to Gaetz is related to a court filing unsealed Thursday that Flynn had “relayed” to prosecutors “statements made in 2016 by senior campaign officials to which only a select few people were privy.”
