Trump Reversing Stone Sentencing Recommendation Would Be ‘Abuse Of Power,’ Schiff Says

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: House impeachment managers Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) (2nd L), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) (2nd R) walk toward the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol as the Senate imp... WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 05: House impeachment managers Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) (2nd L), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) (2nd R) walk toward the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol as the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump continues on February 5, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Senate is expected to vote to acquit President Trump this afternoon. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Tuesday that it would be an “blatant abuse of power” if President Donald Trump had intervened to lower the Justice Department’s suggested prison sentence for Trump’s friend and adviser Roger Stone.

According to multiple reports Tuesday, the Justice Department will in fact significantly reduce the sentence it suggests for Stone after a tweet from Trump called the initial recommendation, of 7-9 years’ imprisonment, a “miscarriage of justice.”

“I do not take a position on the proper prison term for Mr. Stone, but it would be a blatant abuse of power if President Trump has in fact intervened to reverse the recommendations of career prosecutors at the Department of Justice,” Schiff said in a statement.

“Doing so would send an unmistakable message that President Trump will protect those who lie to Congress to cover up his own misconduct, and that the Attorney General will join him in that effort,” he added.

“Abuse of Power,” notably, was one of two impeachment charges that Schiff and other House impeachment managers argued during a Senate trial should be grounds for Trump’s removal from office. The Senate voted to acquit Trump of both charges on Wednesday.

Stone’s case is personal for the Schiff: In November, Stone was found guilty on all counts against him, including for lying in his testimony the House Intelligence Committee, which Schiff chairs.

After reports of the development emerged Tuesday, the top career prosecutor on the Stone case, former Robert Mueller deputy Aaron Zelinsky, informed the court that he was withdrawing from the case — and resigning entirely from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. (Zelinsky is still an assistant U.S. attorney in Baltimore.)

Former federal prosecutors told TPM Tuesday that the news that a scaled back sentencing recommendation was in the works in Stone’s case was “stunning.”

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for nemo nemo says:

    Start investigating now. Call in the prosecutor who just resigned. These things always proceed according to the rule of dominos.

    Update:

  2. I think he gets time. Two year or thereabouts. The question is does he serve any time or does Trump pardon?

  3. Avatar for jmacaz jmacaz says:

    Blatant Schmatant… It is now writ large that tRump can get away with whatever he wants… and direct his minions to do as he pleases

    THANKS GOP

  4. Avatar for jmacaz jmacaz says:

    Trump will pardon as soon as the prison tattoo of tRump is completed

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