The long-awaited sentencing memo for Paul Manafort has arrived. It stands in at nearly 850 pages, including the numerous attachments. The memo itself is 25 pages, and of course, there are tons of redactions. It does not seem to be breaking any new ground at first glance, but given the length, media has barely had any time to digest and dissect it.
From the memo itself:
His criminal actions were bold, some of which were committed while under a spotlight due to his work as the campaign chairman and, later, while he was on bail from this Court. And the crimes he engaged in while on bail were not minor; they went to the heart of the criminal justice system, namely, tampering with witnesses so he would not be held accountable for his crimes. Even after he purportedly agreed to cooperate with the government in September 2018, Manafort, as this court found, lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this office, and the grand jury. His deceit, which is a fundamental component of the crimes of conviction and relevant conduct, extended to tax preparers, bookkeepers, banks, the Treasury Department, the Department of Justice National Security Division, the FBI, the Special Counsel’s Office, the grand jury, his own legal counsel, Members of Congress, and members of the executive branch of the United States government.
Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark.
Here are some of the initial reactions so far:
Whaddyaknow? Dana Rohrabacher's name makes quite a few appearances...
Wow. 46 years still on the table for ole' Paulie, eh? Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
More to come as the exhibits are uploaded and analyzed. Stay tuned...
