The Associated Press says former national security adviser Michael Flynn faced mounting financial and emotional pressure and was concerned about protecting his family when he finally decided to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller:
A chance to end the case through a single-count guilty plea was almost certainly the most favorable outcome possible, especially since the aggressive, wide-ranging nature of Mueller's inquiry made criminal prosecution a near-inevitability and a tough prison sentence a vivid possibility.
(...)
In an indication of the value of his cooperation, prosecutors charged him only with false statements and set a guideline range of zero to 6 months in prison. His son, who had a baby last spring and worked alongside his father on the Turkish lobbying and other matters during the campaign, was notably not charged.
As it remains unclear what information Flynn may be able to provide about President Trump's relationship with Russia, the AP spoke with a friend of Flynn's who expressed his concerns:
Rocky Kempenaar, a childhood friend who said he saw Flynn in November, said he warned him months earlier to be careful about Trump.
"Just be careful, Mike. I don't want you to get into trouble," Kempenaar said he told him. "He said, 'Rock, what surprised me is how loyal of a guy he is.'"
"You got to be one in a million, because I don't know anyone else he's been loyal to," Kempenaar said he replied. "He just laughed."
Read more: As Mueller Closed in, Pressure Mounted on Flynn and Family (Associated Press)