Stone:
WaPo
https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...tone-decision/
I found a button.
The initial recommended sentence of seven to nine years was harsh, but it was within the guidelines for the seven counts on which Stone was convicted — a situation in which prosecutors are generally given discretion to make a recommendation. An anonymous senior Justice Department official said Tuesday that the recommendation was considered “extreme and excessive” and that the prosecutors hadn’t accurately communicated what it would be up the chain of command.
Even if that’s what happened, this was still senior Justice Department officials intervening in an unusual way — and in a case of distinct personal interest to the president. Even if Trump hadn’t directly lobbied for the decision, it would be problematic, because it suggests that his political appointees are riding to the aid of his allies, over the judgments of prosecutors handling the cases. A Justice Department official on Tuesday couldn’t name another instance in which a sentencing recommendation had been overturned so quickly.
And now Trump is linking this personally to Barr — the man whose conduct on the Russia investigation has erred repeatedly in Trump’s favor. Trump has essentially argued that there is nothing wrong with such an intervention, even if he had directly ordered Barr to take such actions (which Trump denies having done in this case). Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said that he “would be able to do it if I wanted” and that “I have the absolute right to do it.”
Trump routinely claims such broad authority, but generally the Justice Department guards against perceptions of political influence in investigations — and that’s particularly important in cases involving the president and his allies.
We’ll surely learn more about how all that went down in the days to come. But Trump’s tweet sure didn’t diminish the idea that his Justice Department is doing his political bidding — starting at the top.
Even if that’s what happened, this was still senior Justice Department officials intervening in an unusual way — and in a case of distinct personal interest to the president. Even if Trump hadn’t directly lobbied for the decision, it would be problematic, because it suggests that his political appointees are riding to the aid of his allies, over the judgments of prosecutors handling the cases. A Justice Department official on Tuesday couldn’t name another instance in which a sentencing recommendation had been overturned so quickly.
And now Trump is linking this personally to Barr — the man whose conduct on the Russia investigation has erred repeatedly in Trump’s favor. Trump has essentially argued that there is nothing wrong with such an intervention, even if he had directly ordered Barr to take such actions (which Trump denies having done in this case). Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said that he “would be able to do it if I wanted” and that “I have the absolute right to do it.”
Trump routinely claims such broad authority, but generally the Justice Department guards against perceptions of political influence in investigations — and that’s particularly important in cases involving the president and his allies.
We’ll surely learn more about how all that went down in the days to come. But Trump’s tweet sure didn’t diminish the idea that his Justice Department is doing his political bidding — starting at the top.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...tone-decision/
I found a button.
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