Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) issued a statement on Attorney General Bill Barr’s decision to recommend leniency in the sentencing of Roger Stone, one of Donald Trump’s closest advisors, who was found guilty on seven federal counts, including obstructing official proceedings, making false statements to Congress, and witness tampering:
U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Tuesday sent a letter to Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) demanding that the committee hold a hearing—with Attorney General Bill Barr as a witness—on potential political interference in the sentencing of Roger Stone, President Trump’s former campaign advisor and longtime friend. Harris’ letter comes after reports that the Department of Justice was considering reducing the sentencing recommendation put forward by the career prosecutors overseeing Stone’s case, all four of whom have since requested to withdraw from the case, and after the Department filed an updated sentencing recommendation in the case that contradicted the career prosecutors.
“The strong fist of justice could not have befallen a more reprehensible, disgusting, and deserving human being than Roger Stone. Roger Stone has made a career off of lies, deception, and all manner of dirty tricks to win elections. He’s engaged in the kind of underhanded tricks that I witnessed and experienced firsthand. He is the living embodiment of everything we teach our children not to be. Roger Stone’s guilty verdict on seven federal charges – including obstructing official proceedings, making false statements to Congress, and witness tampering – are more proof that dirty tricks and lies will get you nothing but jail time in our democracy.