Here are 10 key events that explain why Flynn was legally vulnerable in special counsel Robert Mueller's probe and why his plea deal addresses one of the central questions in the wider Russia imbroglio.
1. President Obama sanctions Russia
On Dec. 28, 2016, then-President Barack Obama ejects 35 Russian diplomats from the United States and introduces new sanctions against a number of Russian security services and individuals.
The move is retribution for Russia's interference in the 2016 election, detailed in the unclassified summary of a highly classified report by the intelligence community early in the new year.
2. Flynn confers with transition officials and talks sanctions with Russia
On Dec. 29, Flynn speaks with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, as well as a "senior official" of the presidential transition team, according to court documents in Flynn's case.
The documents describe how Flynn spoke to his colleague in the administration-in-waiting — identified by some outlets as former deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland — about what to tell the Russian ambassador about the sanctions. Then he spoke with Kislyak on the phone.
"Flynn called the Russian ambassador and requested that Russia not escalate the situation and only respond to the U.S. sanctions in a reciprocal manner," say the court documents. The Trump camp wants to offer Moscow the prospect for a better relationship once Trump is inaugurated.
On Dec. 31, Kislyak calls Flynn back and says Russia indeed will not escalate, as he asked. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirms that with a public announcement, which Trump hails on Twitter.
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https://www.npr.org/2017/12/05/5683...to-know-to-understand-the-michael-flynn-story
