The Slatest

Today’s Impeach-O-Meter: Could Flynn Flip Topple Trump Over Russia Ruse?

Michael Flynn at the Capitol on Jan. 20.

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

The Impeach-O-Meter is a wildly subjective and speculative daily estimate of the likelihood that Donald Trump leaves office before his term ends, whether by being impeached (and convicted) or by resigning under threat of same.

The drumbeat of stories suggesting that former national security adviser Michael Flynn may be convinced to give testimony that implicates Donald Trump or other high-level Trump campaign advisers in crimes has been soft but steady lately. They’re all related to work he reportedly did on behalf of lobbying clients that he doesn’t seem to have properly disclosed his relationships to:

  • A gold dealer who may have information about improprieties involving Flynn and his clients in the Turkish government appears to have turned state’s witness, as they say in the movies.
  • The Wall Street Journal has found out more about what Flynn did in office to promote a Saudi Arabian/American nuclear power plant plan on behalf of other clients.
  • The Journal also says that investigators have looked into Flynn’s son’s role in an apparent plan to kidnap Turkish dissident Fethullah Gulen.

With this stuff on top of the Russian sanctions business he had to resign over, Robert Mueller appears to have a lot of ammunition for charges against Flynn and his son. Flynn’s lawyer appears to have met with Mueller’s team on Monday, which could mean that Flynn is arranging a plea deal in exchange for telling Mueller what he knows about Russia’s hacking attacks against Democratic politicians and Trump’s Russia-related decision to fire James Comey.

There are a lot of coulds and woulds and apparentlys in all that, for sure. But you certainly can’t say that any of it is good for Mr. Donald Trump.

Today’s meter level has been raised two points.

Photo illustration by Natalie Matthews-Ramo. Photos by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, Win McNamee/Getty Images, Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images, Drew Angerer/Getty Images, and Peter Parks-Pool/Getty Images.

Photo illustration by Natalie Matthews-Ramo. Photos by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, Win McNamee/Getty Images, Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images, Drew Angerer/Getty Images, and Peter Parks-Pool/Getty Images.