Robert Mueller and his office are not huge fans of Paul Manafort.
Mueller’s office released a sentencing memo, what is usually the way prosecutors express their opinion on how much time in prison a convicted criminal should receive. The plan had been that Manafort would receive some degree of leniency for pleading guilty, but the prosecutors then found him to be continuing to lie after that deal was struck. So the deal is void. No leniency.
The prosecutors had some harsh words for Manafort, saying that he had “repeatedly and brazenly violated the law.” He was convicted of bank fraud, tax fraud, giving false statements to the FBI, and failing to register as a foreign agent (for Ukraine). They said his pattern of behavior showed “a hardened adherence to committing crimes and lack of remorse.” Ouch.
Manafort is one of the figures at the center of Mueller’s Russia investigation, as he was Donald Trump’s campaign manager while he was apparently also meeting with Russian proxies. And then lied about it. To the FBI.
Though it’s possible that President Trump could pardon him for the crimes he has so far been convicted of, prosecutors in New York State are mounting cases against him involving some of his financial dealings. Any convictions there would not be eligible for a presidential pardon.
It seems likely that Manafort will be facing a significant amount of time behind bars, very possibly the rest of his life.
