Roger Stone Sentenced To 40 Months In Prison In Mueller Probe
Trump Pardons Longtime Adviser Roger Stone
Stone Was Convicted Of Lying To Congress And Obstruction In Russia Probe
In a move that has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, President Donald Trump has pardoned his longtime adviser Roger Stone, who was convicted last year of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison in February 2020, but Trump commuted his sentence in July, just days before he was set to report to prison.
Trump has said that he pardoned Stone because he believes he was treated unfairly by the justice system. However, critics have accused Trump of pardoning Stone in order to protect himself from potential criminal charges that could arise from the Russia investigation.
The pardon is the latest in a series of controversial moves by Trump that have been seen as an attempt to undermine the Russia investigation. In May 2017, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was leading the investigation. In March 2019, Trump appointed William Barr as attorney general, who has been criticized for his handling of the investigation.
The pardon of Stone is likely to further damage Trump's already low approval ratings. A recent poll found that only 38% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance.
The pardon also comes at a time when Trump is facing a number of other legal challenges, including a criminal investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's office and a lawsuit by the New York Attorney General's office.
It is unclear what the long-term consequences of the pardon will be. However, it is clear that the pardon has further eroded public trust in the justice system and has raised concerns about the rule of law in the United States.
Timeline of Events
Here is a timeline of key events in the Roger Stone case:
- January 2017: Stone is indicted by a grand jury on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
- November 2019: Stone is convicted of all charges.
- February 2020: Stone is sentenced to 40 months in prison.
- July 2020: Trump commutes Stone's sentence.
Key Players
Here are the key players in the Roger Stone case:
- Roger Stone: A longtime adviser to Donald Trump who was convicted of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
- Donald Trump: The 45th President of the United States who pardoned Stone.
- Robert Mueller: The former Special Counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Conclusion
The pardon of Roger Stone is a controversial move that has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. It is the latest in a series of moves by Trump that have been seen as an attempt to undermine the Russia investigation. The pardon is likely to further damage Trump's already low approval ratings and has raised concerns about the rule of law in the United States.
