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Michael Flynn’s Request for Immunity in Trump-Russia Probe Rejected by Senate Intelligence Committee

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National security adviser General Michael Flynn delivers a statement daily briefing at the White House in Washington U.S., February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

The Senate Intelligence Committee has reportedly turned down Michael Flynn’s request for immunity from prosecution in exchange for being interviewed as part of their investigation into Russia’s alleged hacking of the 2016 presidential election, two congressional sources told NBC News.

Flynn’s lawyer was told immunity was “wildly preliminary” and “not on the table” at this point, a senior congressional official told NBC. It does not necessarily rule out immunity at a later date, as the investigation is still being pursued.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, had told the Federal Bureau of Investigation and congressional officials investigating the Trump campaign’s potential ties to Russia that he was willing to be interviewed in exchange for a grant of immunity from prosecution, according to officials with knowledge of the matter.

The House and Senate Intelligence Committees are in the midst of separate ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Flynn resigned as national security advisor in February after reports revealed that he spoke about Obama-era sanctions in a call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before President Donald Trump’s inauguration. This contradicted members of Trump’s administration, including Vice President Mike Pence, who previously denied that Flynn and Kislyak discussed sanctions.

President Donald Trump has supported the decision of his former national security adviser to seek immunity through a Tweet sent earlier today. “Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!” Trump wrote on Twitter.