Trump ex-campaign aide Manafort leaves prison for home amid coronavirus

[webfact]

Trump ex-campaign aide Manafort leaves prison for home amid coronavirus

By Karen Freifeld and Sarah N. Lynch

 

FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, exits the courtroom after his arraignment in New York Supreme Court in New York, U.S., June 27, 2019. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from a federal prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday to finish his sentence at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, his lawyer said, drawing fresh Democratic criticism over Justice Department actions that have benefited Trump associates.

 

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, imprisoned in a separate case, also is expected to be released based on the threat of the coronavirus, a U.S. official familiar with the decision-making regarding inmates said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

 

Todd Blanche, a lawyer for the Manafort, said the 71-year-old veteran Republican political operative was released from the Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto in Cambria County, Pennsylvania and would serve the remainder of his 7-1/2 year sentence in home confinement in Virginia.

 

Manafort's legal team last month asked the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for home confinement rather than continued imprisonment, saying his pre-existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, liver disease and respiratory ailments increased his risks should he become infected with the coronavirus.

 

The pathogen has led to a number of deaths amid the close quarters of federal prisons.

 

Manafort's sentence stemmed from two criminal cases arising from former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation that documented Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election to boost Trump's candidacy. Manafort's sentence is due to run until November 2024.

 

The U.S. official did not provide information on when Cohen is expected to be let out of Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York. Cohen was imprisoned for arranging hush payments to two women who said they had sexual encounters with Trump, financial crimes and lying to Congress. Trump has called Cohen a "rat." Cohen has called Trump a "racist," a "con man" and "a cheat."

 

House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a pivotal player in Trump's impeachment, said Manafort's release from a prison with no reported coronavirus infections raised troubling questions about the department under Attorney General William Barr, a Trump political loyalist.

 

Schiff among other actions cited Barr's role in abandoning a tough sentencing recommendation by career federal prosecutors for convicted Trump friend and adviser Roger Stone and in asking a federal judge to drop charges against Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

 

"People have lost confidence in its neutrality that justice is blind. Instead they think justice bends to Donald Trump's will," Schiff told MSNBC, calling it "a risk to the rule of law."

 

A Bureau of Prisons representative did not respond to requests for comment.

 

One of several former Trump aides charged in Mueller's investigation, Manafort was convicted by a jury in Virginia in August 2018 on charges including tax fraud and bank fraud, and then pleaded guilty in a separate case the following month in Washington to conspiracy charges.

 

Manafort earned millions of dollars as an international political consultant to pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine and prosecution evidence showed he dodged more than $6 million in taxes by hiding income in offshore bank accounts.

 

Barr in March called on the Bureau of Prisons to expand use of home confinement due to the coronavirus threat.

 

(Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Will Dunham and Steve Orlofsky)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-14

 

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[Tug]

Well another swamp critter freed that dude did so many squirrelly things oh well guess money laundering isent the same as robbing banks

[blazes]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Well another swamp critter freed that dude did so many squirrelly things oh well guess money laundering isent the same as robbing banks

 

It appears you are totally unaware of the revelations of the last two or three days that indicate what a barefaced liar this vile Schiff fellow always has been....

 

I hate the rank hypocrisy of Schiff complaining about the "rule of law" in light of his lies and conduct during the impeachment.

[Langsuan Man]

Interesting that Manafort was released and he is staring at substantial time in the poky.

 

Yet Michael Cohen, Trump's fixer,was supposed to be released to home detention for the same reason and he only has several months left on his sentence but for some "unknown " reason after Cohen's release was announced it was suddenly revoked  

 

Guess it helps if you have friends in high places 

[cmarshall]

Plus Manafort's prison has no cases of Covid while Cohen's prison does have the infection.

[Tug]

25 minutes ago, blazes said:

 

It appears you are totally unaware of the revelations of the last two or three days that indicate what a barefaced liar this vile Schiff fellow always has been....

 

I hate the rank hypocrisy of Schiff complaining about the "rule of law" in light of his lies and conduct during the impeachment.

I’m well aware of Adam schiff holding the administration to account it’s his job beeing in the House you know I just wish they were more successful but don’t worry the senate will be changing hands soon!so there will be accountability and as far as the impeachment the fix was in we haven’t forgotten come on November!!!

[TheFishman1]

So trumps friend who is found guilty and is in prison where there’s no virus is free to go home the whole justice system under Trump is the biggest joke in the world must be laughing And the lawyer were there is a case of the virus it was sentenced to a shorter term was not let go because Trump really doesn’t like them anymore if Trump gets elected again America will be finished when the guys mouth is moving he’s lying

[cmarshall]

Trump is trying to turn the US into a banana republic.  Fortunately, we still have honest public servants like Judge Sullivan, Rep. Schiff, and others

[spidermike007]

Your honor, I enter my first bit of evidence that the American judicial system is corrupt beyond repair. Rich white men rarely ever spend any time in prison, and if they do, they are usually released ridiculously early. Covid is just an excuse for the corruption to continue. Black or other men of color, who are convicted for a bag of weed languish in prison for a decade or more, while this guy, who committed multiple felonies gets to go home. An ethically challenged and broken nation, and a broken system at work.

Edited May 14, 2020 by spidermike007

[Mick501]

9 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Your honor, I enter my first bit of evidence that the American judicial system is corrupt beyond repair. Rich white men rarely ever spend any time in prison, and if they do, they are usually released ridiculously early. Covid is just an excuse for the corruption to continue. Black or other men of color, who are convicted for a bag of weed languish in prison for a decade or more, while this guy, who committed multiple felonies gets to go home. An ethically challenged and broken nation, and a broken system at work.

USA is an example to the world in many areas, but the prison system ain't one.

[gazza4]

2 hours ago, Mick501 said:

USA is an example to the world in many areas, but the prison system ain't one.

Please Mick 501, can you put most of us out of our misery. Can you please name just one area where USA is "an example"?

[xylophone]

7 minutes ago, gazza4 said:

Please Mick 501, can you put most of us out of our misery. Can you please name just one area where USA is "an example"?

Lol, I've got one...........an example on how NOT to manage a virus outbreak/pandemic ????

[blazes]

7 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Lol, I've got one...........an example on how NOT to manage a virus outbreak/pandemic ????

 

You mean, starting with old geezer Dr Fauci????  (However, unfortunately, there are many other Faucis all over the world, enjoying the power of telling all us schmucks to STAY HOME...., so he's just one in a cabal of "examples"....)

[Yankeesvsredsox]

5 hours ago, Tug said:

I’m well aware of Adam schiff holding the administration to account it’s his job beeing in the House you know I just wish they were more successful but don’t worry the senate will be changing hands soon!so there will be accountability and as far as the impeachment the fix was in we haven’t forgotten come on November!!!

 conspiracy theories ,the fix was in

[xylophone]

29 minutes ago, blazes said:

 

You mean, starting with old geezer Dr Fauci????  (However, unfortunately, there are many other Faucis all over the world, enjoying the power of telling all us schmucks to STAY HOME...., so he's just one in a cabal of "examples"....)

Read this and you will see who I mean.....

 

How did the world's most powerful country find itself in such a calamitous position?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12330741 

[Rimmer]

A post has been removed, please understand that intentionally misspelling a politicians name or a media source in order to suite your own agenda will get your post removed 

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, blazes said:

 

You mean, starting with old geezer Dr Fauci????  (However, unfortunately, there are many other Faucis all over the world, enjoying the power of telling all us schmucks to STAY HOME...., so he's just one in a cabal of "examples"....)

Easy to do, when your salary is $384,000 a year. Try staying home on zero. 

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, Mick501 said:

USA is an example to the world in many areas, but the prison system ain't one.

True that. It used to be a good example. The economy, manufacturing of good quality products, decency, agriculture, and more. It is becoming less of an example by the day and a diminished version of it's former self year by year. Now, it is an overpriced shell of a nation. Not a fun place to be. And that was become it became the disease capital of the planet. 

 

And now the Manafort release? As if the US did not already have enough egg on it's face? Now the corrupted nature of the beast is exposed. 

Edited May 14, 2020 by spidermike007

[blazes]

9 hours ago, cmarshall said:

Trump is trying to turn the US into a banana republic.  Fortunately, we still have honest public servants like Judge Sullivan, Rep. Schiff, and others

HONEST?????

 

Surely you jest, right????

[Crazy Alex]

Government logic: set convicted criminals free because of virus. Confine law-abiding citizens to their homes and put them in jail if they dare to stray off to work and provide for their families.

[Crazy Alex]

 

 

5 hours ago, gazza4 said:

Please Mick 501, can you put most of us out of our misery. Can you please name just one area where USA is "an example"?

Philanthropy.

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-us-is-the-most-generous-country-but-americans-say-debt-is-keeping-them-from-giving-more-to-charity-2019-10-18

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2019-12-20/the-worlds-most-generous-countries

[Chomper Higgot]

Don’t get too excited, he’s still a convicted felon, still subject to the conditions of his parole.

[Crazy Alex]

Sheez... you do what Democrats want and they STILL complain!

House Dems call for release of 'as many prisoners as possible' due to coronavirus pandemic

Edited May 14, 2020 by Crazy Alex

[Mick501]

21 hours ago, gazza4 said:

Please Mick 501, can you put most of us out of our misery. Can you please name just one area where USA is "an example"?

Constitutional rights, economic strategy, technological innovation.   And perhaps most important, the USA is by far the least expansionist superpower in human history, which in turn has provided for a very extended period of relative safety and peace for many other countries who would not have had that luxury without them.

 

pretty easy to answer the question, but I'm afraid your just miserable and that will never change, so can't help you there.