The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate called for an investigation into the decision to reduce the sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, a former adviser to President Donald Trump.
Prosecutors asked a judge this week to sentence Stone, 67, to seven to nine years in prison for making false statements to Congress, obstructing a congressional investigation, and tampering with a witness. But the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a memo recommending a sentence “far less” than seven to nine years, though it is still recommending some jail time.
The four prosecutors working on the case resigned after the memo was filed. Two worked on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which ended after establishing no conspiracy or cooperation between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said there should be an “immediate investigation” of why the sentencing recommendations by the prosecutors were overruled by DOJ officials.
In a Feb. 11 letter to the departments Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Schumer alleged that the situation “has all the indicia of improper political interference in a criminal prosecution.”
Horowitz should investigate the matter to figure out “how and why the Stone sentencing recommendations were countermanded,” including which DOJ officials made the decision and which officials, if any, were involved, the 69-year-old senator wrote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), 79, also called for a probe into what happened, claiming Trump, 73, “engaged in political interference in the sentencing of Roger Stone” when he wrote on Twitter about the case.
“It is outrageous that DOJ has deeply damaged the rule of law by withdrawing its recommendation. Stepping down of prosecutors should be commended & actions of DOJ should be investigated,” she wrote in a statement on TwittRead More – Source
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The Epoch Times
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