02-13-2020, 12:33 PM
(02-13-2020, 05:46 AM)Duchess Wrote: The DoJ appears to have turned into just another arm of trump's banana republic. trump wants to go after his political enemies and jail them and release from jail those who have been convicted by a jury of their peers. He feels like he can do anything now with no repercussions. Much of the GOP is running around wearing trump merch for fuckssake and to think some people had a shit fit when President Clinton chatted with the AG on a tarmac. That seems so quaint now.
It's so fucked up -- a big middle finger by President Trump and his administration (and many of the Republican congresspersons) when it comes to the separation of powers, the rule of law, and law and order.
I remember bitching about Obama saying that Trayvon Martin could be his son because I feared that it could affect the jury pool, even though he refused to comment on the case itself. Republicans totally scorched Obama for that one comment -- now they either defend or stay silent when the President interferes and obstructs justice openly for personal gain.
I also remember Donovan posting that this exact abuse of power scenario would happen if Trump was elected. I was more optimistic and argued that if at least one branch of Congress was not under the same party's control, our system of checks and balances would prevent it. I was wrong.
Anyway.........there was so much evidence against Roger Stone, he was convicted by a jury of his peers very quickly, and the prosecutors used the DOJ sentencing guidelines to make their recommendations to the judge. That's the way the system works and there obviously shouldn't be exceptions made for the President and his associates. But, here we are.
If the judge decides that the sentence recommended by the prosecutors is too harsh, she has the power to sentence him to less time and explain why. If she decides to do so of her own accord (not under threat or pressure) that wouldn't be a problem for me -- that's also how the system works.
I see that Attorney General Barr has agreed to answer questions about the Stone intervention in front of Congress....................on March 31st. That's a long six weeks from now (and I won't be surprised if he balks again anyway). In the meantime, President Trump continues to lie publicly about Stone's actions and the details of the case/conviction.