The extraordinary steps Justice Department leadership took to intervene in Roger Stone’s case will be under scrutiny Wednesday with a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Political Interference and Threats to Prosecutorial Independence.”
Among its witnesses is Aaron Zelinsky, a career DOJ attorney and former member of special counsel Robert Mueller’s team who led Stone’s prosecution. Zelinsky alleges that political considerations motivated the push by DOJ leadership to water down the sentencing recommendation that he and his fellow career prosecutors submitted.
Following along with the hearing below.
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What To Expect
- Zelinksy's claims were previewed in prepared remarks posted Tuesday that alleged that then-acting U.S. Attorney Tim Shea, who led the office prosecuting Stone, was afraid of President Trump.
- The Justice Department has pushed back on those allegations as “hearsay.”
- Joining Zelinksy at the hearing is John Elias, another career DOJ attorney who will testify about alleged political influence in antitrust matters; Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general who served under Attorney General Bill Barr during the George H.W. Bush administration; and Michael Mukasey, a George W. Bush Attorney General who was chosen by Republicans to testify.
The extraordinary steps Justice Department leadership took to intervene in Roger Stone’s case will be under scrutiny Wednesday with a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Political Interference and Threats to Prosecutorial Independence.”
Among its witnesses is Aaron Zelinsky, a career DOJ attorney and former member of special counsel Robert Mueller’s team who led Stone’s prosecution. Zelinsky alleges that political considerations motivated the push by DOJ leadership to water down the sentencing recommendation that he and his fellow career prosecutors submitted.
Following along with the hearing below.