World Net Daily ... "Branded" was a mid-1960s television Western set in the post-American Civil War era. The main character, U.S. Cavalry Capt. Jason McCord, was a "wandering loner/knight errant." 

Wrongly accused of cowardice, McCord was shown at the opening of each episode being stripped of his rank and tossed outside an Army fort in the wilderness to face the unknown.

 

As more evidence related to the case of Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn evolves – allegedly for lying to the FBI – a shocking similarity to McCord's fate emerges as Flynn, too, was wrongly branded. Flynn's branders were rogue Deep State members, undeterred by truth and fueled by their lust to achieve an unfair conviction to topple a U.S. president. 

While McCord's nightmare was fantasy, Flynn's was not. Eventually, however, the truth set him free.

 

As we await the results of U.S. Attorney John Durham's investigation into the FBI's investigation of the Trump/Russia collusion claim, indications are it will be most revealing. It will provide evidence that an administration, entering office in 2009 claiming it would be the most transparent in history, departed eight years later covertly attempting to pull off one of the most outrageous acts violating the U.S. Constitution. 

Astonishingly, so many high-profile conspirators – all of whom had taken an oath to support and defend that constitution – willingly participated without anyone stepping forward to challenge what was happening. The revelations in Flynn's case may prove to be but the tip of an iceberg containing further secrets of a coup conspiracy.

 

Disturbingly, behind the effort to convict Flynn – a patriot and war hero – were members of a Deep State willing to see an innocent man go to prison. One would have thought this impossible in 21st century America.

 

The FBI managed to wrangle out of Flynn a confession of lying to the FBI. They were only able to do so because the general had but two options: tell the truth – that he had not lied to the FBI – and go to prison or to say he did lie, in order to protect his son, whom the FBI threatened to go after if Flynn failed to confess.

 

We now know, not only did the FBI intentionally set Flynn up for a fall, they finagled a confession from him lacking one of two required elements to be legally valid. Confessions must be made knowingly, which it clearly was, but also voluntarily, which it clearly was not. Threatening criminal action against a family member fails to meet the voluntary test. 

No greater love hath a father for his son than to sacrifice an honorable 30-year career of military service and possible incarceration to protect him from rogue FBI attack dogs.

 

These agents were in full pursuit of a political agenda, initially designed to undermine Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and, later, to mount a quiet coup to toss him out. Getting Flynn to throw Trump under the bus was critical to the coup's quick success. But an honorable Flynn would have none of it – even if it meant going to prison for something he did not do.

 

One agent undoubtedly frustrated by Flynn's ethics was Peter Strzok, a major player in the railroading of Flynn and now deemed one of the FBI's most corrupt agents. At one point, when it was obvious Flynn had done nothing wrong and the decision was made to close the investigation, Strzok fought to keep it alive. To know why, we go back to a communication, pre-dating the presidential election, between Strzok and his FBI paramour and co-conspirator, Lisa Page.

 

In that communication, while both Strzok and Page remained confident Hillary Clinton would win, mention was made of an "insurance policy" in place should Trump be elected. For a long time, the insurance policy reference remained a mystery. But, three years later, we now may know.

 

Chances are it referred to a Deep State coup, based upon false allegations against Trump made in a report by former British spy Christopher Steele. Red flags about the report's credibility should have immediately gone up as Steele was paid about $6 million by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC. 

But Deep State anti-Trump conspirators were hellbent on removing Trump from office without verification of the report.

 

Part of the coup involved turning Flynn against Trump. But when it became clear Flynn committed no criminal act and the investigation would be shut down, Strzok pressed to keep it open. 

As Hillary's unexpected defeat then put the plotters in the precarious position of being discovered, Strzok needed to keep the Flynn investigation open. Only after Flynn hired a new legal team was exculpatory evidence, originally illegally withheld, released. Shockingly, it included evidence exonerating him and demonstrating Deep State culpability.

 

The FBI uses an FD-302 form as a written record of interview details. Policy requires it be completed within five days, obviously to ensure correct recollection. 

As one agent questions the interviewee, the other takes notes. Only those two agents provide input to FD-302.

 

During Flynn's interview, Strzok was the questioner while Agent Joe Pientka took notes. Flynn's FD-302 interview form was submitted more than two weeks late and only after extensive exchanges occurred between Strzok and Page, who was not present. The exchanges led to Strzok making extensive changes to Pientka's comments, including those recommended by non-party Page.

 

Nor should it be forgotten pro-Hillary Clinton agents Strzok and Page were also involved in investigating her email scandal – one finding her innocent before she was even personally questioned, based on a draft report written by FBI Director James Comey. A key point in the original draft which would have met the criminal standard was changed after Strzok pointed it out to Comey. 

But the tone was clear – give the appearance of an investigation without finding Hillary criminally liable.

 

Despite what is now known about the Flynn case and DOJ's dropping charges against him, the judge in his case, appointed by former President Barack Obama, has taken the unusual step of inviting outside parties to weigh in on it. This suggests political motivation, only coming after Obama incorrectly criticized the DOJ move as unprecented and putting the "rule of law" at risk. 

However, Obama forgets he pardoned Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright for lying to the FBI during an investigation into leaks about a malware – jointly developed by the U.S. and Israel–to corrupt Iranian computers used in its nuclear arms program.

 

In a fictionalized world of the 19th century, Capt. McCord suffered his country's betrayal. In the real world of the 21st century, Gen. Flynn suffered betrayal by his. Yet Flynn never wavered in his integrity and love of country. He is owed a debt of gratitude. 

With Republicans controlling the Senate, they should honor the already-retired three-star general by awarding him with a most deserved fourth star!