WASHINGTON -- A Dutch attorney who lied to federal agents investigating former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in prison in the first punishment handed down in special counsel's Russia investigation. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. Alex van der Zwaan's sentence could set a guidepost for what other defendants charged with lying in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation may receive when their cases are resolved. Among them are a former White House national security adviser and a Trump campaign foreign policy aide. Van der Zwaan had faced zero to six months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, and his attorneys had pushed for him to pay a fine and leave the country. But U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, citing the need to deter others from lying in an investigation of international importance, said incarceration was necessary. http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2018/04/first_person_sentenced_in_russ.html
Right... but he wanted probation, and presumably could have gotten it if he'd made a deal. Instead, Mueller argued for jail time. barfo
More interesting thing today is that Mueller revealed that he had specific authorization to go after Manafort for past crimes. So much for Manfort's entire defense strategy. Ha ha. barfo
I disagree. I think Mueller is sending a message of don't tread on me. He could also be getting a light sentence because he flipped. No, it's just not clear whether he flipped or not.
Illegal secret authorization and a clear violation of the laws governing special counsels. Pretty much grounds to throw out anything at all happening after the illegal secret authorization, which also implicates Rosenstein and Mueller as co-conspirators in election-rigging.
Apparently the judge told Manafort's lawyers today basically what I said last night: Said Judge Amy Berman Jackson: “I don’t really understand what is left of your case.” barfo
Nope, it was approved by the Deputy Attorney General in charge of the investigation. Anyhow, he and Mueller will be indicted any day now.
Trust but verify. If van der Zwaan's cousin's hairdresser's lover says the same, then it's more likely to true. barfo
