Earlier today the news broke of reports that former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort was released from prison to home confinement due to health concerts from the COVID-19 pandemic. After the news made its rounds, at least one prominent Democrat is throwing a conniption fit. Despite the fact that Michael Cohen is also expected to be released and
Michael Avenatti was also released earlier during the pandemic for the same reasons, (not exactly Trump allies at this point), Schiff decided to call out what he sees as an injustice anyway. He blames Bill Barr’s Department of justice for releasing “Trump Crony” Paul Manafort in a whiny tweet where he posts a video of himself speaking on MSNBC.
In Lompoc federal prison not far from my district, 70% of inmates have COVID-19.
But it is Paul Manafort, Trump crony, who gets to serve his sentence at home due to coronavirus.
In Bill Barr’s Department, how can anyone have confidence that justice is being done? See below:
In Lompoc federal prison not far from my district, 70% of inmates have COVID-19.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 13, 2020
But it is Paul Manafort, Trump crony, who gets to serve his sentence at home due to coronavirus.
In Bill Barr’s Department, how can anyone have confidence that justice is being done? pic.twitter.com/DNTtdfWi2n
It was reported by NPR that 71-year-old Manafort is serving a 7-year sentence, which will now be completed at his home. Previously he was serving at a low-security prison in Pennsylvania for “tax fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy”.
Manafort has suffered major health setbacks over recent years which puts him more at risk of dying if he were to catch Coronavirus from another prisoner which is likely the main reason for his release. It was speculated by many that if not for the Russian collusion Mueller investigation, Manfort would not have been indicted for his white-collar crimes and so he should not be in jail in the first place.
Schiff probably sees this as some sort of sweetheart deal for Manafort. It appears to be just business as usual though, as many criminals around the country much worse than Manafort have been released, one in Florida even went on to kill someone after getting out early, as we reported a few weeks back. Fox News has more on the story as well:
Lanny Davis has complained in a tweet that Cohen has not yet been released despite the fact that Manafort has. NPR reported:
Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyers and fixer, who once said he “would take a bullet for the president,” is serving a three-year federal prison term following guilty pleas to a number of financial and political crimes.
In a statement dated May 2, Davis said Cohen “remains in effect in solitary confinement, under quarantine, rather than under home confinement as he was led to believe would occur” on May 1.
I know @PaulManafort for many years – he is a good dad and husband and am glad for him and family he is now in home confinement due due to virus. But I am hoping @MichaelCohen212 is allowed same. He was expected home on May 1 and then unexplained delay. Why not now? #freeMichael
— Lanny Davis (@LannyDavis) May 13, 2020
