President Trump on Wednesday praised Attorney General William Barr for “taking charge” after the Justice Department said it would recommend a lighter sentence for Roger Stone that led four federal prosecutors on the case to withdraw.
“Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought,” the president posted on Twitter. “Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!”
The prosecutors had recommended up to nine years in prison for Stone, a longtime ally of Trump, when he is sentenced on Feb. 20 for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction.
Trump, like the Justice Department, opted for a shorter sentence for the 67-year-old Stone.
“Two months in jail for a Swamp Creature, yet 9 years recommended for Roger Stone (who was not even working for the Trump Campaign),” Trump said in a second tweet about the matter.
The president didn’t mention whom he was referring to, but it appears he alluded to former deputy Trump campaign chairman Rick Gates, who was sentenced to 45 days in prison, and testified against Paul Manafort.
Manafort, former chairman of the Trump campaign, is serving 7½ years in prison for tax fraud, conspiring to defraud the US and witness tampering over his work for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians.
In a new filing, Justice Department lawyers acknowledged that Stone committed serious offenses and deserves to spend time behind bars that is “sufficient but not greater than necessary.”
“Based on the facts known to the government, a sentence of between 87 to 108 months’ imprisonment, however, could be considered excessive and unwarranted. Ultimately, the government defers to the Court as to what specific sentence is appropriate under the facts and circumstances of this case.”
Aaron Zelinsky, a special assistant US attorney who was part of Mueller’s team, was the first to announce his resignation after news broke of the Justice Department’s decision to seek a more lenient sentence.
He was followed by Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Kravis, Special Assistant US Attorney Adam Jed and Assistant US Attorney Michael J. Marando.