How did Flynn think he could get away with lying about Russia conversations?

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/13/1633185/-How-did-Flynn-think-he-could-get-away-with-lying-about-Russia-conversations
"Here’s an excellent (and scary) point about how brazen the lies coming from the Trump regime, and specifically from National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, are. Remember how Flynn first flatly denied discussing sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, then—right around the time reports came out that the two men had indeed discussed sanctions—walked it back to saying he couldn’t remember?"