Author Topic: Judge Smacks Mueller’s ‘Excessive’ Request, Sentences Manafort To Far Less Time Than He Recommended  (Read 869 times)

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Offline Free Vulcan

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"...I don’t think the guidelines range is at all appropriate."

Federal Judge T.S. Ellis III defied Robert Mueller's "excessive" sentencing recommendation on Thursday and gave Paul Manafort only about a fifth of the prison time the special counsel wanted to see the former Trump campaign chairman serve.
 
Though Mueller has been tasked with investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential "collusion" with the Trump campaign, Manafort's charges have nothing to do with Russia or the campaign; rather they are a series of financial crimes, including "defrauding banks and the government, and failing to pay taxes on millions of dollars in income he earned from Ukrainian political consulting," CNN reports.

Manafort, 69, was sentenced to 47 months in prison — which will turn out to be about 38 due to time served — and three years of supervised release. Mueller recommended Manafort be sentenced to 19 to 24 years. As CNN notes, the prosecutors "wanted more time" in part because "Manafort never gave meaningful help during his cooperation with the special counsel's office, despite spending 50 hours together."

https://www.dailywire.com/news/44401/judge-smacks-muellers-excessive-request-sentences-james-barrett
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Offline aligncare

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His big mistake was helping Trump. He was hired during the nominating convention to manage the floor votes because he was recommended to be the best. He only worked for the Trump campaign a couple months before being let go.

Had he not joined the Trump team, there would have been no one investigating him and no one to charge him for these years old charges having nothing to do with Russian collusion.

Offline skeeter

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His big mistake was helping Trump. He was hired during the nominating convention to manage the floor votes because he was recommended to be the best. He only worked for the Trump campaign a couple months before being let go.

Had he not joined the Trump team, there would have been no one investigating him and no one to charge him for these years old charges having nothing to do with Russian collusion.

Which is why Trump should pardon him. Unfortunately Mueller has provided for that, as well, by sending his case to NY Southern District Court.

Offline Applewood

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His big mistake was helping Trump. He was hired during the nominating convention to manage the floor votes because he was recommended to be the best. He only worked for the Trump campaign a couple months before being let go.

Had he not joined the Trump team, there would have been no one investigating him and no one to charge him for these years old charges having nothing to do with Russian collusion.

So you think Manafort should not have been charged at all? 

Whether Trump is dirty or not, he seems to surround himself with a number of unsavory characters.  I believe if you do the crime, you should do the time. So Hillary and her accomplices have not been prosecuted.  Yeah, I wish they had been. But that they are not in the slammer should not mean that anyone in the Trump orbit should be given a pass if they did wrong.

Offline edpc

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His big mistake was helping Trump. He was hired during the nominating convention to manage the floor votes because he was recommended to be the best. He only worked for the Trump campaign a couple months before being let go.

Had he not joined the Trump team, there would have been no one investigating him and no one to charge him for these years old charges having nothing to do with Russian collusion.


His mistake was getting caught doing these things in 2014, while working for Yanukovych. He was brought in by the FBI, so he could be used to go after the Ukrainian president. Yanukovych fled to Russia, so they let Manafort go. His usefulness revolved around getting the bigger target. Past being prologue with him, it was only a matter of time before he resumed his activities with another corrupt individual.

So what does he do? He joins the Trump campaign and continues to do the same idiotic activity, for the purpose of getting back into the oligarch orbit. He joined the Trump team, played on the candidate’s vanity, and offered to work for free. Manafort’s genuine interest was outside the US. Just like Flynn and Cohen, he was using his position and proximity to establish contacts and enrich himself. That’s why he was more than happy to move on, one month after the convention.


I disagree.  Circle gets the square.

Offline Bigun

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His mistake was getting caught doing these things in 2014, while working for Yanukovych. He was brought in by the FBI, so he could be used to go after the Ukrainian president. Yanukovych fled to Russia, so they let Manafort go. His usefulness revolved around getting the bigger target. Past being prologue with him, it was only a matter of time before he resumed his activities with another corrupt individual.

So what does he do? He joins the Trump campaign and continues to do the same idiotic activity, for the purpose of getting back into the oligarch orbit. He joined the Trump team, played on the candidate’s vanity, and offered to work for free. Manafort’s genuine interest was outside the US. Just like Flynn and Cohen, he was using his position and proximity to establish contacts and enrich himself. That’s why he was more than happy to move on, one month after the convention.

All of which had been previously looked at and dismissed.  It only came up again because he was involved with the Trump campaign for a while and they desparately wanted him to roll over on Trump.
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Offline edpc

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All of which had been previously looked at and dismissed.  It only came up again because he was involved with the Trump campaign for a while and they desparately wanted him to roll over on Trump.


It came up again, because he continued to engage in bank fraud to keep his cash flow going and re-initiated contact with Deripaska, through Kilimnik, during the campaign. We know this, because his lawyers screwed up the redaction process, in their filing. We know about his continued financial fraud and desperation, into 2016, due to his bookkeeper’s testimony.

https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2019/01/08/manafort-lawyers-botch-redactions-revealing-details-on-alleged-trump-contacts/?slreturn=20190208134203

https://www.businessinsider.com/manafort-bookkeeper-heather-washkuhn-testifies-against-him-2018-8
« Last Edit: March 08, 2019, 07:25:32 pm by edpc »
I disagree.  Circle gets the square.

Offline kidd

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The word from Mark Styen is that the sentencing guideline of  19 to 24 years was never meant to be implemented; rather it is for the prosecutor...so he can leverage an outcome in favor of the prosecution.

Offline Wingnut

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The plan all along by the powers to be was to screw him like a tied up goat.  Murders get less time. 
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The plan all along by the powers to be was to screw him like a tied up goat.  Murders get less time.

Two of the four illegals who murdered Mrs. Liberty's BIL in AZ got 10 years apiece (eligible for Parole), while the other two melted back over the border after being granted small bail (<$1,000).  We were registered under the AZ Victims Rights law, were supposed to be notified of any Parole/Release activity, and we never heard a word.  This was about 15 years ago.

I'm sure they got their lives turned around and are now aspiring hip hop artists.

And people wonder why I am so militant about the border invasion crisis.
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Offline sneakypete

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Manafort, 69, was sentenced to 47 months in prison — which will turn out to be about 38 due to time served — and three years of supervised release. 

@FreeVulcan

He will probably be going to a country club prison with tennis courts,and most likely be out in less than 2 years. Not bad for all the scamming he did. Shoplifters sometimes serve more time than that.
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Offline edpc

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@FreeVulcan

He will probably be going to a country club prison with tennis courts,and most likely be out in less than 2 years. Not bad for all the scamming he did. Shoplifters sometimes serve more time than that.


There's no parole for federal prison. He has a 47 month sentence. He's already getting credit for the previous 8 months. He can get a max of 54 days reduced for good behavior, each year. With his remaining 39 months, he could get almost 6 shaved off, at best. He's looking at 33 months, minimum. Plus, he'll receive sentencing in the DC court, next week. It's up to that judge, whether his time will be concurrent or consecutive.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2019, 11:34:25 pm by edpc »
I disagree.  Circle gets the square.

Offline sneakypete

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There's no parole for federal prison. He has a 47 month sentence. He's already getting credit for the previous 8 months. He can get a max of 54 days reduced for good behavior, each year. With his remaining 39 months, he could get almost 6 shaved off, at best. He's looking at 33 months, minimum. Plus, he'll receive sentencing in the DC court, next week. It's up to that judge, whether his time will be concurrent or consecutive.

@edpc

Then he will develop health issues at about 24 months,and get a early out to get medical care.
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Offline edpc

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@edpc

Then he will develop health issues at about 24 months,and get a early out to get medical care.


That would be up to a judge to grant compassionate release. It's possible he could also get pardoned. He's still not out of the woods, however.

He was charged with 18 counts in the VA federal court case. He was convicted on 8 and the other 10 did not get adjudicated, due to a holdout juror. As part of his guilty plea agreement in the DC case, he agreed to plea guilty to those charges. He also agreed to waive Rule 11 and Rule 410, which usually prevents prosecutors from using statements gathered in a plea against defendants in potential future cases.

Since he was determined to have violated his plea agreement, all of that is now back in play. He's really screwed himself, with his conduct, while in custody.

The feds could conceivably turn over some or all of the charges to the state of VA, if he's pardoned. The president can't pardon state charges and a federal judge can't release him from state prison for medical reasons.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2019, 12:03:10 am by edpc »
I disagree.  Circle gets the square.

Offline sneakypete

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The feds could conceivably turn over some or all of the charges to the state of VA, if he's pardoned. The president can't pardon state charges and a federal judge can't release him from state prison for medical reasons.

@edpc

If that happens he is beyond screwed. The People's Republic of Virginia will hammer him. Virginia is now to the left of NYC.
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