Former national security adviser Michael Flynn is at the federal courthouse in Washington, awaiting his sentence for lying to the FBI about contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

He'll be the first White House official punished in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Prosecutors are not seeking any prison time for Flynn, citing extensive cooperation that has included 19 meetings with investigators.

Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday appeared to inch away from forcing a partial government shutdown over funding for a southern border wall, with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying there are "other ways" to secure the $5 billion in funding that President Donald Trump wants.

It was the first sign of a potential White House counter offer as the clock ticks down toward Friday's deadline to fund the government.

"At the end of the day, we don't want to shut down the government," Sanders said on Fox News. "We want to shut down the border from illegal immigration."

Trump's $5 billion is far more than the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered, which is not for Trump's promised wall along the southern border with Mexico, but fencing and other security measures.

With files from the Associated Press

Guests:

Darren Samuelsohn, senior White House reporter for POLITICO who was at the courthouse in Washington D.C. for Flynn’s sentencing; he tweets

Laurie Levenson, professor of law at Loyola Law School and former federal prosecutor

Gabby Orr, White House reporter for POLITICO; she tweets