WASHINGTON, Feb 24, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s
office said in a sentencing memo released Saturday that President Donald
Trump’s former campaign director Paul Manafort was a “bold” criminal who
“repeatedly and brazenly” broke the law.
Manafort, 69, who pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges, faces
sentencing on March 13. The memo addressed to the judge in charge of his case
did not recommend a specific sentence — but outlined the gravity of his
crimes.
It said he violated the law for years and his sentence “must take into
account the gravity of this conduct,” to deter both Manafort and anyone who
would commit similar crimes.
Manafort is one of six former Trump associates and senior aides who have
been charged by Mueller’s team, which is believed to be nearing the end of
its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election
and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
“Manafort committed an array of felonies for over a decade, up through the
fall of 2018,” the memo said, naming crimes including tax fraud, money
laundering, obstruction of justice, bank fraud and violating a law related to
lobbying.
“His criminal actions were bold,” it continued, pointing out that they
continued after he was charged, including attempting to tamper with
witnesses, and lying to the FBI, government agencies and even his own lawyer.
Mueller’s office last week said it agreed with a Justice Department
calculation that Manafort should face up to 24 years in prison, after he was
found to have violated a plea deal which agreed to a maximum sentence of 10
years.
Earlier this month, District Judge Amy Berman Jackson agreed with
prosecutors that Manafort had “intentionally” lied to investigators about his
contacts with a suspected Russian operative, Konstantin Kilimnik, in 2016 and
2017 — despite having pledged to cooperate as part of his September plea
agreement.
Jackson also ruled that Manafort had lied about a secretive payment he
made to a law firm, and lied on another occasion when investigators queried
him about a separate, still secret investigation related to the Mueller
probe.
Dated Friday, the memo was expected to be made public on Friday evening —
but was not released until Saturday, with several passages redacted.