EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The Trump team said Tuesday that Michael Flynn Jr. — the son of Trump’s national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn — was forced out of the transition efforts amid controversy over a fake news story that he pushed on Twitter.
“The younger Michael Flynn was helping his father with some administration and scheduling duties early on in the transition process,” Trump team spokesman Jason Miller said, adding that he is “no longer involved with the transition efforts.”
The decision came from President-elect Donald Trump himself, two Trump transition officials said. Flynn Jr. is accused of pushing the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory in a flood of tweets Sunday and Monday, prompted by gunplay at Ping Pong Comet Pizza in Washington, D.C.
The suspect in that case allegedly went to the eatery to investigate a fake news story involving Hillary Clinton and campaign manager John Podesta.
“Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it’ll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmails and the many “coincidences” tied to it,” Flynn Jr., said in one of his tweets.
Until #Pizzagate proven to be false, it'll remain a story. The left seems to forget #PodestaEmails and the many "coincidences" tied to it. https://t.co/8HA9y30Yfp
— Michael G Flynn???????? (@mflynnJR) December 5, 2016
Edgar Welch, 28, allegedly drove to Washington from Salisbury, North Carolina to “self-investigate” “Pizzagate” and fired one shot from an assault rifle inside, sending patrons fleeing. There were no reports of injuries.
Metro police called the back story “a fictitious online conspiracy theory” and charged Welch with assault.
It was unclear if Welch entered a plea.
General Flynn has also used his social media as a platform to promote fake news stories involving Hillary Clinton. He has not commented on his tweets.
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