Trump lawyer's voicemail message to Flynn's attorney released in obstruction investigation

Read the full transcript now

The US Justice Department has released a transcript of a phone call from Donald Trump’s attorney John Dowd to Rob Kelner, Michael Flynn‘s lawyer, in which Mr Dowd sought information about Flynn’s discussions with special counsel Robert Mueller.

The transcript comes from a phone call that took place on 22 November 2017. It was submitted on Friday to a federal court following a judge’s order to release portions of Mr Mueller’s investigation into potential obstruction.

In the phone call, Mr Dowd says he’d like to state his position on Mr Kelner’s “situation” in “starker terms”.

He later adds, “remember what we’ve always said about the president and his feelings towards Flynn and, that still remains.”

Excerpts of the conversation were first revealed in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation last month.

The report says that after Flynn began cooperating with the investigation, a lawyer working for Mr Trump left a message for Flynn’s attorneys.

The lawyer reminded the attorneys that the president had warm feelings for Flynn and asks for a “heads-up” if Flynn knew damaging information about the president.

Flynn is awaiting sentencing after admitting to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

The Independent has reached out to Mr Kelner and the Justice Department for comment.

“Hey, Rob, uhm, this is John again. Uh, maybe, I-I-I’m-I’m sympathetic; I understand your situation, but let me see if I can’t ... state it in ... starker terms. If you have ... and it wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve gone on to make a deal with, and, uh, work with the government, uh ... I understand that you can’t join the joint defence; so that’s one thing. If, on the other hand, we have, there’s information that. .. implicates the President, then we’ve got a national security issue, or maybe a national security issue, I don’t know ... some issue, we got to-we got to deal with, not only for the President, but for the country. So ... uh ... you know, then-then, you know, we need some kind of heads up. Um, just for the sake of ... protecting all our interests, if we can, without you having to give up any ... confidential information. So, uhm, and if it’s the former, then, you know, remember what we’ve always said about the President and his feelings toward Flynn and, that still remains, but-Well, in any event, uhm, let me know, and, uh, I appreciate your listening and taking the time. Thanks, Pal.”