
Carns
State Representative Jim Carns, of Vestavia Hills, said he was honored to have Gen. Michael Flynn speak at an event in his honor on June 11, despite controversial comments made by the former national security advisor.
“We are honored to have General Flynn,” Carns said before the event.
Flynn has come under fire for remarks made at a QAnon conference held in Dallas, during which he was asked why a “Myanmar-style coup” could not happen in the United States.
“No reason, I mean, it should happen here,” Flynn said.
Flynn has since said that’s not what he meant, that he does not believe a military coup should take place, and claims he was taken out of context. Carns said he believed Flynn when he said he was taken out of context.
Carns has been in office since 2011.
Flynn previously pleaded guilty to perjury related to charges that he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before former President Donald Trump took office, which would be a violation of the Logan Act, which bars U.S. citizens from interfering in diplomatic disputes with other countries.
Trump pardoned Flynn before leaving office.
The event, held in Birmingham, “Saluting Their Service,” honored both Carns and retiring Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin, was a fundraiser sponsored by the Jefferson County GOP. Paul DeMarco, head of the county GOP, did not return a request for comment from the Vestavia Voice, but told other media outlets he expected the event would be highly “successful,” and blasted Democrats for focusing on “stuff that really doesn’t matter,” when they should be focused on “trying to do something about the crime rate in the city of Birmingham and in Jefferson County,” he told al.com.