BREAKING: Ex-Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort sentenced to 47 months for fraud in Mueller case

[debsy]

Source: CNBC

unbelievably light

Read more: https://twitter.com/CNBCnow?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Perhaps sentence for one crime? Or one of several to run sequentially?

[iluvtennis]

4. Nope, for all of the 10 Virginia crimes he was found guilt of.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Shit. That's ridiculously light. He is not contrite, he's acting. Not a "blameless life".

His crimes go back more than a decade.

He continued criminal activity from within jail.

He gamed the Foreign Agents registration requirements many times over, registering after the fact as if it was overlooked by mistake. Once, maybe. His number of times is a pattern and he even advised others to do the same.

Well, he faces more sentencing in other courts. He's not done yet.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

101. Un-fuckin-believable!!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[olegramps]

103. We now know what T. S. Ellis initials stand for: Trump Syncopate. A Republican boot licking bastard.

The trail was a farce with a judge that was determined to destroy the prosecution's case. He should be removed from the bench. Despite his attempts to sway the jury throughout the trial they found Manafort guilty of serious charges and would have found him guilty of all the charges except for one person on the jury he influenced. This is just another example of the corruption that pervades every aspect of the Republican Party. It is nothing more than a vast criminal enterprise. It is a disgrace.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

107. He can still be retried on the charges the jury hung on. Thanks for reminder. . . . nt

[iluvtennis]

2. Not enough time. Tired of white collar folks getting left light sentences

This is unfair. A commoner like me would be the 24 years. Ridiculous

[Kablooie]

3. The judge said Manafort has led an "otherwise blameless life".

Uh... what?

[Mr.Bill]

7. Manafort probably commits a felony when he makes a sandwich. n/t

[marble falls]

10. With a straight face???

[Saviolo]

45. The people of Angola, Ukraine, and the Philippines may have something to say about that.

This is just flat out wrong:

Link to tweet

Judge TS Ellis before giving Manafort his sentence noted he "lived an otherwise blameless life," was a good friend and generous person to others. That doesn't erase his crimes however Ellis said.

I say we fire Manafort into deep space. Give him a camera and tell him to take pictures of Saturn on his way past.

[Evolve Dammit]

54. Correct. A travesty by a Ronny Raygun appointed judge. This is a preview of Trumps judges.

[TexasTowelie]

59. I get the joke about Saturn

and the next planet in the solar system.

[Saviolo]

60. I just wanted to picture him

frozen into a little ice cube hurtling through space, clutching a little camera in his icy frozen paws.

[Pepsidog]

80. Piece by piece they are destroying the institutions that make our country

unique. The last vestige of relief for the people is the judiciary which just took a swift kick in the gut. At the time when the rule of law most needed to be buttressed, this ignorant judge undercut the entire legitimacy of the criminal justice system with a sentence that can only been seen as rigged in favor of rich white men. This was an American Travesty.

[SHRED]

81. Drop Manafort off in Ukraine

[DeminPennswoods]

52. Shook my head at that comment, too

Manafort is a career criminal.

[debsy]

8. Oh, no... i see now. The judge is a middle-aged white guy.

That explains it in itself.

[Honeycombe8]

20. He identifies with Manafort. "There but for the grace of God go I."

Or....he was bribed and will retire in that new expensive house he'll be buying in the next year or two. Or a rich, white son or grandson will get a great job soon.

Like Justice Kennedy.

[debsy]

29. yup

there is no justice in this country for the vast majority of us.

[SunSeeker]

47. They are both old, white, privileged rich men.

The judge sees himself in Manafort.

Manafort stole $30 Million from the American people by way of the tax fraud that was the subject of this case. If Manafort was a black 20-year-old who held up a bank and took $30 million, he would have gotten 30 years out of Judge Ellis.

Hopefully when Judge Sullivan sees this outrage, she will make sure the years she hands down to Manafort on her case will be CONSECUTIVE to what Ellis ordered, and Manafort spends the rest of his pathetic, evil life in jail.

[SergeStorms]

70. If he was a black man...

who stole $50 he would have received more time than Manafort did. I cannot believe this shit.

[dflprincess]

76. The first thing that came to my mind was this from "Being There"

Louise:
"It's for sure a white man's world in America. Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a piss-ant. And I'll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th' ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass. Look at him now! Yes, sir, all you've gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!"

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/b09934d4-8670-4bef-8c4f-a0758cd6069f

[SergeStorms]

112. One of my all-time favorite movies!

Chance the gardener becomes Chauncey Gardiner in the blink of an eye. It's truly one of cinemas shining gems. I'm a huge Peter Sellers fan as well, and enjoyed everything he ever did, even back to the old "Goon Show" days in England.

[SunSeeker]

87. A defense attorney tweeted his client is looking at 36-72 mo. for stealing $100.

The client stole $100 in quarters from a residential laundry room.

Chris Hayes showed the tweet on his show.

[FBaggins]

104. That "attorney" was either lying...

Or the worst attorney on the planet...

Or there were aggravating factors beyond the residential location (like the use of a gun during the offense).

Petty theft rarely comes with jail time... and if it does, almost every state limits it to 12 months or less.

[SergeStorms]

113. Amazing, isn't it?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

108. Black like Jefferson (D) he gave 13 years to for about $130K? Manafort did millions & worse.

[mysteryowl]

9. Wow! I was thinking about 20 years. I was way off.

Where is the justice?

[cstanleytech]

41. "Where is the justice?" It's well known that there are two types of Justice in this country.

One is for the average person and one is for the wealthy and elite and he got sentenced as a wealthy and elite.

[aggiesal]

57. He has Affluenza (Only get this if you're AFFLUENT) n/t

[DeminPennswoods]

58. TBH, thought the 19-24 years was a lot for

these particular crimes. Barbara McQuaid just said on MSNBC that Ellis is known for going easy on white collar crimes, so maybe Mueller's prosecutors asked for such a long sentence to preclude Ellis from going even easier on Manafort.

We are taking the totality of Manafort's career into consideration, but each trial is its own unique entity.

[PatSeg]

66. Pretty much everyone was

It isn't over yet though.

[Dem2theMax]

82. I was as well.

My jaw dropped when I read the news on my phone. Unbelievable.

[Honeycombe8]

12. Yeah, I figured it would be less than the max. But this is pretty light.

An older, rich, well connected man convicted of white collar crimes = a light sentence, usually. I wonder if he'll qualify to serve his time in the white collar prison, which is like a resort?

He wasted the country's time with the Mueller investigation, costing us millions.

[Seedersandleechers]

13. Doesn't matter what sentence he gets.

Trump is going to pardon him anyway.

[gopiscrap]

14. that is such bullshit

[The Liberal Lion]

15. 47 months!!!!!!!

WTF!

[Chin music]

34. A third drunk driving could get someone more jail time. And does.

[Still In Wisconsin]

16. So, basically a slap on the wrist.

I guess if you're a rich white guy you can do pretty much anything you want.

[nitpicker]

102. +1

[DirtEdonE]

17. The USA keeps black and brown people prison longer awaiting bail

What a fucking disgrace. This sends a message to everyone else in the trump crime family that if they keep their mouths shut everything will be OK. THE FIX IS IN. Don't worry about a pardon. Your sentence will be so light, on appeal it'll wind up a few months in a minimum security club house improving your golf swing.

What a fucking disgrace.

Rule of law my fucking ass. Retire all the judges. Fire the prosecutors. Disband the police. Rescind all the lawyers' law licenses. None of them are necessary any longer. They're a waste of valuable resources.

The republic is DEAD.

[Still In Wisconsin]

21. Welcome to the Republic of Trumpistan...

Please check your values of justice and fair play at the door.

[Va Lefty]

25. Yep, Rich or connected Whites don't do real time

God bless America

[angrychair]

18. Got to love

White power

[NewJeffCT]

19. He still gets sentenced by Judge Jackson next week

and she could have that sentence run after this one is done.

[debsy]

22. Let's hope so.

I feel there may be a storm brewing on this one, though...

[DeminPennswoods]

55. Don't think Judge Jackson will be sympathetic

She already threw him in jail for violating his bail and just ruled that he lied to Mueller thus breaking and voiding his plea agreement. I'd bet she orders him to serve her sentence consecutively to the one Ellis just gave him, too.

[Docreed2003]

23. That's some BULLSHIT

[Honeycombe8]

24. He'll also get time off for good behavior, I guess. And the Judge is a Republican, I guess.

Still, at his age, if he doesn't get into the white collar prison, this will be hard on him.

[NBachers]

32. Good time maxes out at 47 days for each year served.

https://famm.org/wp-content/uploads/faq-federal-good-time-credit.pdf

[Honeycombe8]

46. Thanks. So he could get 5 mos. off, and serve just a tad over 3 yrs. Unless Trump pardons him.

Trump may pardon him, using Manafort's health as an excuse.

[Ligyron]

63. I don't think he'd dare

But I gotta say, pundits and the MSM are throwing the "pardon" word around so much you have to wonder if this is a strategy to normalize the idea.

Like, "Why of course Trump will pardon him (and every other traitor)". As if it's a given.

If even one of them gets a pardon we need a full scale revolution to occur.

[Honeycombe8]

71. Don't blame the media for anything Trump does. Trump himself wouldn't discount the idea.

He was asked before if he'd pardon Manafort, and Trump said, "I don't see why not" or something like that.

Trump surely promised something for Manafort not to flip.

[JCMach1]

26. Judges were light on the NAZIs too

tale as old as time

[iluvtennis]

27. If Manafort's name was Pedro or Jamal, it would have been 24 years

[Honeycombe8]

48. I think you're right. Even the Judge in the Ted Bundy case was nice to Bundy.

They identify with smart, white guys, seeing themselves or their sons in them, I think.

[maxsolomon]

28. Out in 15 months.

The Feds were harder on Martha Stewart.

Now the question is: will Trump pardon him? Of course he will; Manafort is loyal to him.

Pretty much exactly what I expected. Anyone who still thinks Trump will see the inside of jail cell raise your hand!

[totodeinhere]

37. Yup. He'll be in country club federal facility for 15 months.

Disgusting.

[maxsolomon]

43. Are there actually "country club" Federal prisons?

That's not where Stewart did her sentence...

[MrsCoffee]

79. Some of them seem that way.

Definitely not your average prisons.

https://www.cnbc.com/2012/01/19/The-Best-Places-to-Go-to-Prison.html?slide=1

[DeminPennswoods]

98. Nickname for minimum security prisons

Kind of like in "Orange is the new Black".

[Fiendish Thingy]

75. So he could be a free man in time for the 2020 election?

Boggles the mind...although would make good ammunition for the debates...

[Fiendish Thingy]

85. Rachel just said 3 years- no parole in fed system

Just time off for good behavior and time served.

[maxsolomon]

114. Ok, then he'll get that.

3 years with no hair dye is cruel and unusual for a Republican.

[Honeycombe8]

49. How could he be out in 15 mos? Are you being literal, or just a comment? nt

[maxsolomon]

53. parole.

not sure of the particulars, just assuming there's that option.

white collar crooks rarely serve their entire terms.

[DeminPennswoods]

97. Longer, min 31 months

Barbara McQuaid explained that on Maddow's show last night. She said there is no parole in the federal prison system, but a prisoner can have his sentence reduced by good behavior time of up to 54 days/yr, a total of 216 days (about 7 months) if Manafort would get the max credit. She also said he will get credit for time served, 9 months. That adds up to 16 months, 47-16=31 months as lowest possible total.

[Hoyt]

30. This is representative of sentencing for tax and bank fraud, right or wrong.

The next case will probably carry heavier sentences.

[slumcamper]

31. Jefferson would likely state, "The Tree of Liberty thirsts mightily."

To the American nation, it's people, it's heritage, hope, and future, this is a travesty of "justice."

[SunSeeker]

33. Outrageous. Meanwhile a black woman got 5 years for voting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/us/texas-woman-voter-fraud.html


Judge Ellis totally identified with Manafort. Oh, to be a rich white man, being judged by a rich white man!

[Chin music]

35. +1

[diva77]

42. This! And then there's also the grotesque miscarriage of justice against

Don Siegelman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Siegelman

[maxsolomon]

44. that's what came to mind immediately for me as well.

and Martha Stewart

[FailureToCommunicate]

65. There are (outrageously) TWO Americas!

One, rich, white, connected ...and one,

everybody else.

[KPN]

36. Reading between the lines ... we are screwed.

Really. I feel like just saying fuck it.

[old guy]

38. So much for the "Rule of law", and "no one is above the law" tropes.

Justice? Not in this reality.

[2naSalit]

39. Not long enough!

Hopefully the next sentencing is going to be far more significant.

[cp]

40. What?

47 YEARS, more like. Shite!

[defacto7]

50. Ohhhh, it's Judge Ellis, now I get it.

[orangecrush]

51. W!T!A!F!

The fix is in.

[Vinca]

56. And 2 weeks without television?

Paulie must have done one hell of a schtick in his wheelchair. Let's hope the next judge imposes something resembling justice.

[Evolve Dammit]

61. And WTF with the wheelchair? He was bounding up the courtroom steps last year??

What a play for sympathy. Reminds me of Cosby with the cane and saying he's blind. BS

[ffr]

62. The Ruskies are celebrating tonight!

Your American system of justice just shit all over the average American.

[madville]

64. He also gets credit for the 9 months he has already served so its really 38 months

and potential time off for good behavior and then he would could potentially be eligible for parole in half that time.

[wysi]

67. My friend Andy Harris...

... comments here for Bloomberg. Andy's got a BA in journalism and a law degree.

[link:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2019-03-08/manafort-sentenced-to-less-than-4-years-for-bank-tax-fraud-video?fbclid=IwAR2EfD-ek2SJIeMpwRafXra5x2E429ixswMznBxAmT1vlp3TPm5TYUm1b9c|

[Iliyah]

78. Yep.

And thanks.

[KPN]

95. Thanks for posting this. It helped buoy my spirits. I just hope Andrew Harris isn't just one more

pundit who got it badly wrong by trusting our legal system and banking on common sense.

[BlueBlood]

68. A Total Insult To Justice

Well, I guess crime does pay, after all. 47 months (probably less, when actually served) is a pittance paid for the crimes he committed.

[SergeStorms]

69. Fucking outrageous!

That judge should be removed from the bench intermediately. He's not worth the soil on my shoes. Once again the judicial system displays how there are two different types of justice in our country. A rich man can practically get away with anything in this country, and they almost always do! This is a fucking disgrace.

[Power 2 the People]

72. This was the judge who had to apologize to the jury for being a jackass during the trial.

He was purposely trying to sabotage Mueller's prosecutors and they called him out on it. I guess since those tactics didn't work to get Paulie off the hook,the judge did the next best thing,he gives him a slap on the wrist for a lifetime of criminality and treason.

Who says crime doesn't pay????????????????

[Progressive Jones]

73. 47 months for this fucking scumbag??? nt

[Lifelong Protester]

74. a "blameless life"??

not

[C Moon]

77. If nothing else, the fucker is officially a criminal now. Maybe he'll die of pneumonia or something.

Garbage. Pile all of them in prison.

[58Sunliner]

83. 47 months to a traitorous pig. The judge is a real POS.

[Moral Compass]

84. Another confirmation of a two-tiered system of justice

As if we needed any reminders--this case has given us yet another reminder that our system of justice simply doesn't function the way it must.

I am reminded of the contempt I felt when not a single executive from any financial firm even had charges leveled against them during the financial meltdown of 2008. When I was a child lynchings went unpunished. Then Nixon walked away in disgrace but he didn't serve a moment in jail. Now something that looks much like treason has been almost forgiven. An unseemly mercy was shown someone that offered up no remorse, but begged the judge for undeserved mercy. And received it.

The judiciary has been captured by a right wing that is ultimately anti-democratic, profoundly racist and xenophobic, and completely corrupt. The Constitution is a rag to be ignored unless they can twist it to their ends. The 1st and 2nd amendments have been weaponized. Lifetime judicial appointments and no holds barred gerrymandering allowed a slow motion capture of the federal judiciary. It is irreversible.

The Republican minority have found every weakness in our system and have ruthlessly exploited them. The system is now fully compromised and I'm not sure it can be fixed. Trump should have already been on his way to impeachment in the House and conviction in the Senate. In fact, he should be under criminal indictment and should be in prison. This Justice department conceit that a President cannot be criminally charged means that there is at least one person that is immune from the law. If there is one there is many.

A two tiered system of justice is no system of justice. The judiciary is being filled with partisan zealots that will defend this utterly corrupt system. The only way to clean it up is to win both Houses and the Presidency and reverse everything done during Trump's illegal, illegitimate regime. And really what chance is there of that?

How utterly depressing.

[Ligyron]

88. Tell it!!

Abso-fucking-lutely spot on in all respects.

Couldn't be said any better IMHO

and it may be irreversible but we gotta try.

[yaesu]

90. An ex Fed prosecutor on Maddow called it The arrogance of the wealthy & powerful nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

86. Wtf!??

Not long enough!

[yaesu]

89. The judge was obiously a tRumpster that hated the the words special prosecutor

Also, Manaforts attorney made a point outside the courthouse that there was no proof of collusion even though this trial had nothing to do with russia. I'ma thinking he was just sucking up to tRump for a pardon.

[Red Mountain]

91. That'll teach him!

Keep the change.

[orleans]

92. but then there is next week

"President Trump’s former campaign chairman has been sentenced to less than four years in prison for financial fraud. He will be sentenced in a second case next week."

"Although Judge Ellis seemed swayed by the defense’s arguments, Mr. Manafort may face a less sympathetic reception next week when he is sentenced in the District of Columbia on two conspiracy counts by Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the United States District Court. Those charges each carry a maximum of five years. Kevin Downing, one of Mr. Manafort’s lawyers, asked Judge Ellis to order that Mr. Manafort serve both sentences simultaneously. But Judge Ellis said that was up to Judge Jackson."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/07/us/politics/paul-manafort-sentencing.html

[onetexan]

93. Does he still face NY state level charges?

Edited to add link to NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/nyregion/manafort-pardon-trump.html

[DirtEdonE]

94. Wanna' hear something REALLY FUNNY about "judge" ellis?

Last edited Fri Mar 8, 2019, 01:18 AM - Edit history (1)

I wonder if Ellis is here in the USA legally.

ellis is an IMMIGRANT! FROM COLOMBIA!!!

He wouldn't even make it across the border in trump's "America" and now he's giving trump's criminal henchmen lenient sentences.

You just can't make this stuff up.

Google this clown and you'll see why some reports call him trump's favorite judge. If he wasn't before he is now.

What a fucking disgrace. Mueller should investigate ellis, this illegal immigrant trumpsucker.

[olegramps]

105. I believe that his father was in the military. He is a citizen.

[DirtEdonE]

109. Nope, ellis is not another John McCain

"In 2008, Ellis, an immigrant born in Colombia, South America, held the first naturalization ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, giving “an emotional tribute,” according to an account from The Washington Post."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trumps-favorite-judge/story?id=55249937

[olegramps]

111. Thanks for the information. I had read his father was in the service and assumed he was a citizen.

[DirtEdonE]

115. You're welcome, I thought so at first too

And it's difficult to find extensive information on ellis. I thought his father must have served because I saw the Navy reference but it was actually HE who served as an officer/fighter pilot, IIRC.

I believe he's part of the vast right wing conspiracy's goal to pack the courts that began in earnest with that bastard reagan. How does an immigrant from Colombia wind up at Princeton and Harvard Law? I know this is the land of opportunity ***LOFLOFL*** but ellis' rise seems to have been on a stellar track for an immigrant.

The right wing grooms these candidates for the courts and gets them appointed young so that forty or fifty years later they can do exactly the type of shit ellis just did.

[olegramps]

117. I agree. What about his surname? Just who is his father, etc.

[DirtEdonE]

119. Really! It's like trying to find information on Gustavo Fring!

Just who is this guy ellis?

[pig benis]

96. Right wing judge

Went easy on the crook.

[DeminPennswoods]

99. Maddow had an interesting panel discussing

Ellis on her show last night. She's reached out to Chuck Rosenberg, who was a USA in EDVA, for his take. Rosenberg wasn't a guest, but she read his reply which was "if he (Ellis) goes low, don't be surprised". McQuaid, who sat in on most of the trial as well as the sentencing, said Ellis didn't seem to understand what all the fuss was about and was surprised at the interest and number of people in his courtroom. A couple of the other guests noted that Ellis, always quirky, has gotten at least somewhat more erratic with age.

Maddow also brought up the 10 counts that ended up a mistrials due to the 1 juror who couldn't be convinced to convict. In the DC plea agreement, Manafort confessed to those crimes and pleaded guilty. Not quite sure why she mentioned it, but perhaps Jackson is allowed to consider those other charges in her sentencing. Could she possibily sentence Manafort twice? Once for the original charges brought in DC, then for the leftover EDVA charges to which Manafort pleaded guilty in her court?

[olegramps]

106. He can be retry on the 10 charges because the jury was deadlocked on those counts.

I really doubt that Mueller will recharge him and rely on his conviction in his other trial. T. S. Ellis attempted to destroy the prosecution from the outset. What can you expect from a filthy Republican. The entire party is rotten to the very core. Manafort is lucky he is not a Hispanic or Black. He would never see the light of day even if he was lucky enough to get to trial alive.

[DeminPennswoods]

110. Can't be re-tried because he pleaded guilty

to them in the plea agreement he reached, then breached, with the SCO.

I don't why Maddow brought up the 10 mistrial charges. I inferred it was because they are part of the plea agreement that was issued in her court and could be used to lengthen the sentence Jackson will hand down next week, but I don't know if that's a correct interpretation or not.

[olegramps]

118. I am only going with what I have read. I don't have the expertise to determine it.

[duforsure]

100. How long now

Last edited Fri Mar 8, 2019, 07:16 AM - Edit history (1)

Before trump dangles a reward for Judge ellis for his obviously lite sentence for Manafort, and send a message to other judges in future cases. Two ways trump and Manafort operate, payoffs, and threats. was the judge threatened with being exposed for something or given suggested rewards by trump, from people working for him for this unjust sentence? Did they corrupt the judge to get this judgement?

[eck Zach tly]

116. Ouch!

His wrist must be stinging! Poor Paulie!