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Roger Stone sentenced to 40 months in prison despite request for new trial Roger Stone sentenced to 40 months in prison despite request for new trial
(about 1 hour later)
Judge hands down sentence that was less than originally asked for by prosecutors, following Trump’s claim the conviction ‘should be thrown out’Judge hands down sentence that was less than originally asked for by prosecutors, following Trump’s claim the conviction ‘should be thrown out’
Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Donald Trump and a self-described political dirty trickster, was sentenced on Thursday to 40 months in prison for his attempts to sabotage a congressional investigation that posed a political threat to the president.Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Donald Trump and a self-described political dirty trickster, was sentenced on Thursday to 40 months in prison for his attempts to sabotage a congressional investigation that posed a political threat to the president.
In handing down the sentence Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the US district court for the District of Columbia lambasted Stone for his actions, even as she handed out a spell in jail that was less than originally asked for by prosecutors. In handing down the sentence Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the US district court for the District of Columbia lambasted Stone for his actions, even as she handed out a punishment that was less than originally sought by prosecutors.
She argued Stone’s disregard for the truth should worry all those who care about American democracy and accused him of covering up for Trump. “The dismay and disgust at the defendant’s belligerence should transcend party,” Jackson said. Jackson argued Stone’s disregard for the truth should worry all those who care about American democracy and accused him of covering up for Trump. “The dismay and disgust at the defendant’s belligerence should transcend party,” Jackson said.
She added: “The truth still exists. The truth still matters.” “The truth still exists,” she said. “The truth still matters.”
She also forcefully rejected claims by Stone and his supporters that he had been prosecuted “for standing up for the president”.
“He was prosecuted for covering up for the president,” she said.
Stone wore a bemused look on his face for much of the nearly three-hour hearing, standing with his defense team to receive his sentence. A small group of male supporters with mostly trendy haircuts, designer bags and Make America Great Again embellishments watched the proceedings from an overflow room next to where Stone was being sentenced.
At one point, security removed one of the men after he began protesting Jackson’s remarks. “Ridiculous. This is a sham,” he cried as he was escorted out of the room. Outside the courtroom, rightwing activists chanted “Pardon Roger Stone” while opponents shouted:“Lock him up.”
The sentencing went ahead despite an 11th-hour request by Stone’s defense team for a new trial following Trump’s claim that the conviction “should be thrown out”.The sentencing went ahead despite an 11th-hour request by Stone’s defense team for a new trial following Trump’s claim that the conviction “should be thrown out”.
Jackson has not yet ruled definitively on that motion, but determined that postponing the sentencing would not be “a prudent thing to do given all the circumstances”.Jackson has not yet ruled definitively on that motion, but determined that postponing the sentencing would not be “a prudent thing to do given all the circumstances”.
Stone, 67, a flamboyant Republican operative who began his political career as a junior staffer on Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign in 1972, was convicted in November on seven felony charges, including lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Stone had denied wrongdoing.Stone, 67, a flamboyant Republican operative who began his political career as a junior staffer on Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign in 1972, was convicted in November on seven felony charges, including lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Stone had denied wrongdoing.
His sentencing hearing followed an extraordinary series of events in which justice department officials overruled a sentencing recommendation by the prosecutors of between seven and nine years in federal prison, a punishment Trump assailed on Twitter as “horrible and very unfair”.His sentencing hearing followed an extraordinary series of events in which justice department officials overruled a sentencing recommendation by the prosecutors of between seven and nine years in federal prison, a punishment Trump assailed on Twitter as “horrible and very unfair”.
After the president assailed the prosecutors directly and decried a “miscarriage of justice”, the attorney general, William Barr, intervened and sought a more lenient punishment. His intervention prompted the entire prosecution team to resign, including one member who left the justice department altogether. After the president assailed the prosecutors directly and decried a “miscarriage of justice”, the attorney general, William Barr, intervened and sought a more lenient punishment. His intervention prompted the entire prosecution team to resign in protest, including one member who left the justice department altogether.
Barr – a close ally of the president – also publicly reproached Trump, saying the president’s online commentary about politically sensitive investigations makes it “impossible” for him to do his job.Barr – a close ally of the president – also publicly reproached Trump, saying the president’s online commentary about politically sensitive investigations makes it “impossible” for him to do his job.
Trump eventually said on Twitter that he had not asked the attorney general to “do anything in a criminal case”, but argued that, as president, he had “the legal right to do so” and had “so far chosen not to!”Trump eventually said on Twitter that he had not asked the attorney general to “do anything in a criminal case”, but argued that, as president, he had “the legal right to do so” and had “so far chosen not to!”
Despite Barr’s rebuke, Trump continued to weigh in on the case on Twitter. On Tuesday, he quoted the Fox News analyst Andrew Napolitano who claimed that the jury harbored biases against the president and that “almost any judge in the country” would throw out the conviction.Despite Barr’s rebuke, Trump continued to weigh in on the case on Twitter. On Tuesday, he quoted the Fox News analyst Andrew Napolitano who claimed that the jury harbored biases against the president and that “almost any judge in the country” would throw out the conviction.
“Everything having to do with this fraudulent investigation is badly tainted and, in my opinion, should be thrown out,” Trump wrote in another tweet.“Everything having to do with this fraudulent investigation is badly tainted and, in my opinion, should be thrown out,” Trump wrote in another tweet.
On Thursday, Jackson asked the new prosecution team to explain its position, noting that the justice department had not actually withdrawn its initial sentencing recommendation of seven to nine years in prison.
“I fear that you know less about the case than just about everybody else in the courtroom,” Jackson told John Crabb, the prosecutor newly assigned to the case.
Crabb apologized for the “confusion” surrounding the sentencing recommendation and defended the initial trial team, which he said had received approval to submit the initial sentencing memo.
“This prosecution was, and this prosecution is, righteous,” Crabb said.
Asked by Jackson whether he had wrote the court filing that reversed the original sentencing recommendation, Crabb declined to say.
Jackson told the court that she believed the original recommendation was well-researched but unnecessarily punitive, a conclusion she said she reached notwithstanding the “unprecedented actions of the Department of Justice in the past week”.
Stone’s attorney, Seth Ginsberg, asked Jackson to consider the man and not the “larger-than-life” public persona his client had cultivated over the course of decades. Stone, Ginsberg argued, is a faithful family man with no criminal record whose political activism includes support for football players who suffered concussions and animal rights groups.
“Mr Stone is, in fact, not simply that public persona, but a human being,” Ginsberg said.
Since Trump was acquitted by the Senate of charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress, he has embarked on a campaign of retribution against his perceived political enemies while intervening to protect allies who have been loyal. His defense of Stone came just days after the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial. Trump has not ruled out pardoning his longtime friend.Since Trump was acquitted by the Senate of charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress, he has embarked on a campaign of retribution against his perceived political enemies while intervening to protect allies who have been loyal. His defense of Stone came just days after the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial. Trump has not ruled out pardoning his longtime friend.
On Thursday he appeared to raise that possibility again. The president tweeted out a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson saying Stone should be pardoned and also pinned it to the top of his feed.On Thursday he appeared to raise that possibility again. The president tweeted out a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson saying Stone should be pardoned and also pinned it to the top of his feed.
Stone’s convictions stem from the former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.Stone’s convictions stem from the former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
During the course of the week-long trial, the jury heard from Steve Bannon, Trump’s former campaign chairman, that Stone was the campaign’s “access point” to WikiLeaks, which published a trove of stolen Democratic emails in the final weeks of the last presidential campaign.During the course of the week-long trial, the jury heard from Steve Bannon, Trump’s former campaign chairman, that Stone was the campaign’s “access point” to WikiLeaks, which published a trove of stolen Democratic emails in the final weeks of the last presidential campaign.
Among the other government witnesses was the comedian and radio personality Randy Credico, who Stone said was his “back channel” to WikiLeaks. Prosecutors accused Stone of trying to prevent Credico from contradicting his testimony before a House committee and encouraging him to lie or avoid speaking to congressional investigators or the FBI.Among the other government witnesses was the comedian and radio personality Randy Credico, who Stone said was his “back channel” to WikiLeaks. Prosecutors accused Stone of trying to prevent Credico from contradicting his testimony before a House committee and encouraging him to lie or avoid speaking to congressional investigators or the FBI.
Credico testified during the trial that Stone encouraged him to “do a ‘Frank Pentangeli’”, a reference to a character in The Godfather: Part II who lies before Congress. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Stone had threatened Credico’s beloved dog, Bianca.Credico testified during the trial that Stone encouraged him to “do a ‘Frank Pentangeli’”, a reference to a character in The Godfather: Part II who lies before Congress. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Stone had threatened Credico’s beloved dog, Bianca.