FILE – In this July 10, 2018, file photo, former President Donald Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, right, arrives at federal courthouse in Washington, for status hearing. Prosecutors with the special counsel’s office say Flynn is not yet ready to be sentenced. The joint filing with defense lawyers Tuesday, Aug. 21, is a sign that Flynn’s cooperation with investigators is continuing.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, before he was falsely fingered by Obama’s cronies as a Russia colluder who lacked candor (my favorite euphemism) when discussing those allegations with the FBI, had spent considerable political capital following his firing by the Obama administration calling for a clean-up of the Intelligence Community.

It looks now like that effort — stopped short though it was by the smear against Flynn, who looks likely to make a real run at exoneration  thanks to the efforts of his attorney Sidney Powell — may be moving forward after all.

#BREAKING Source close to matter tells @CBSNews NSC staffer Kash Patel tapped to serve as senior adviser to Amb. Rick Grenell, acting Intel chief (DNI.) Source said mandate is to “#cleanhouse including “top to bottom” review DNI operations that expanded dramatically since 2005.

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) February 21, 2020

Patel is nothing if not a dogged corruption investigator, helping Rep. Devin Nunes craft the report out the House Intelligence Committee that was the first indication something was very wrong with the Obama holdovers’ Russia collusion investigation. So Flynn’s dream of auditing the intelligence apparatus may ultimately become reality.

The question I keep mulling over in my mind is this: if Flynn is exonerated, will he end up in the administration of a second-term Donald Trump? And will Democrats survive?

Personally, this overt intent to clean up one of the intelligence units looks a great deal to me like we may have finally moved past the corruption of Russia collusion. DOJ under AG Barr (the progressives’ most wanted man at the moment) investigated, know what the problems were (and where they are), and are ready to address them.

It’s a very hopeful sign. Maybe not for the Democrats, but for the rest of us definitely.

I cover all that on the show today, as well as review a terrific new Netflix series called “Locke & Key” (based on a graphic novel written by Stephen King’s son!). You can watch that trailer below.

There’s also a bit about Christian Toto’s great piece excoriating Esquire Magazine for turning John Krasinski into a villain because he makes military films (or something). I mean…if you can turn Jim from The Office into a villain, you might be working with some dark magic.

The show lives below on Spotify and you can also find me at iHeart radio, Apple Podcasts, FCB Radio’s Spreaker, and Deezer.