Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
On Monday, a federal sentencing memo on veteran GOP operative Roger Stone recommended a prison sentence of seven to nine years. But President Donald Trump has been angrily tweeting his objections, and now, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) appears to be walking back that recommendation.
A DOJ source told Fox News, “The Department finds seven to nine years extreme, excessive and grossly disproportionate to Mr. Stone’s offenses.” In November, Stone was convicted on seven federal courts, including witness tampering and lying to Congress.
This is a horrible and very unfair situation. The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice! https://t.co/rHPfYX6Vbv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020
On Twitter, legal experts and pundits have been weighing in on the new, more lenient sentencing recommendations for Stone.
Scott Hechinger lamented that “millions” of criminal defendants in the U.S. are not “provided with the same care” and “individualized justice Roger Stone will receive.” And attorney Bradley P. Moss posted, “I do not envy the DOJ lawyers who are going to have to convince the judge that political pressure was not applied to suddenly backtrack on their sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone.”
I do not envy the DOJ lawyers who are going to have to convince the judge that political pressure was not applied to suddenly backtrack on their sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone.
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) February 11, 2020
It would be nice if the millions & millions of other people hauled into court & facing “extreme” treatment every day — disproportionately from Black & Brown communities —were provided with the same care & individualized justice Roger Stone will receive.https://t.co/WoEnd6gnli
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) February 11, 2020
Seems pretty unprecedented to have the DOJ meddle like this so publicly in the sentencing of a convicted defendant. Keep in mind some of the prosecutors on the Stone case were involved in the Mueller investigation and well we know how Barr feels about that entire investigation.
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) February 11, 2020
Susan Hennessey had one word in response to the DOJ revising its sentencing guidelines on Stone: “whoa.”
Steve Vladeck was appalled, tweeting, “A U.S. Attorney who actually believed in the rule of law and/or any modicum of prosecutorial independence would resign in protest.” And Rep. Don Beyer was equally biting when he posted, “Bill Barr’s naked corruption is getting worse by the day, and it’s going to do lasting damage.”
Erick Fernandez was also quite critical of Barr. “There can be reasonable discussions to be had about whether sentencing filing against Roger Stone was too harsh,” Fernandez wrote. “The fact that this is happening after Trump angrily rants at 1:30am on Twitter is not a coincidence, though. Bill Barr is a GOP operative.”
Cristian Farias didn’t try to hide his disgust, posting, “The Justice Department is rotten to the core. I’m all for more leniency and mercy for all. But when those things are only available to someone who’s white, well-connected, and with a long history of kissing up to power, it shows how corrupted the whole thing is.”
Woah. https://t.co/W6kO0t5wzH
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) February 11, 2020
A U.S. Attorney who actually believed in the rule of law and/or any modicum of prosecutorial independence would resign in protest.
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 11, 2020
Sometimes I empathize with the frogs in the pot since it can be legitimately hard to know when it's time to jump out. But this isn't one of those times. The water is boiling, DOJers.
— Dan Gordon (@DanGordonDC) February 11, 2020
A week after Senate Republicans end his show trial for abuse of power Trump interferes in the sentencing of his criminal associate and the Justice Department does his bidding.
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) February 11, 2020
Bill Barr's naked corruption is getting worse by the day and it's going to do lasting damage. https://t.co/v7hfwrgwFB
I’d expect the U.S. attorney and the line prosecutors who recommended a harsh sentence for Roger Stone to hold the line and resist interference in their independent judgment.
— Cristian Farias (@cristianafarias) February 11, 2020
If they are overruled, they should resign. If they don’t, then DOJ is beyond hope. Impeach William Barr.
Bill Barr is eviscerating the rule of law in this country and I hope someone in Congress has the energy left to raise hell about it https://t.co/BZdOy4e6fS
— Michelle Goldberg (@michelleinbklyn) February 11, 2020
- Prosecutor Who Quit Stone Case Over Barr’s Meddling Will Testify ›
- Stone Posts Meme That Depicts Him Wielding Sword Against Judge - National Memo ›
- Justice Department Weakens Longstanding Rule Against Election Interference By Prosecutors - National Memo ›
- White House Liaison Booted From Justice As Trump-Barr Rift Explodes - National Memo ›
- White House Liaison Booted From Justice As Trump-Barr Rift Explodes - National Memo ›
