Paul Manafort

[The Grand Nudger]

The sentencing guidelines in this case suggested 235-293 months in jail. With time served and reductions...if it weren't for the fact that he was about to be sentenced for other crimes he's committed in his "otherwise blameless life"....he could have walked out of that court a free man.

As you noticed, we're pretty damn lenient when it comes to white collar assholes - and if you combine that with a judge who has a hilarious gripe, you get the manafort sentencing. Sentencing guidelines may be too harsh, there's something to be said for that, but this particular sentence was absurdly lower than the average sentence handed down in cases where a judge has discretion and absurdly low even in comparison to -this- judges other discretionary reductions. Concern trolling over mandatory minimums is nonsense, and this judge is in no way meaningfully opposed to mandatory minimums..he's directly commented on them and handed them down before, and has also used his discretion to lay down harsher sentences as deterrents.

TLDR version..yes our system is broken, and it's broken in more than one way. In this case a judge used one of the ways that it's broken as a pretext for engaging in behavior that demonstrates a range of those other ways.

[Anomalocaris]

The judge wanted to slap special counsel.  The guy actually said that Paul Manafort had led a blameless life.

Judge Elliot is republican and was appointed by a Republican, and he presides over the trial of a republican under a republican.

Republicans don’t blame republicans for things like witness tempering, arms dealing, polishing images of murderous foreign dictators, defrauding his own partners in crime, defrauding banks, tax evasion, lying to the FBI, lying to Frderal prosecutors.

Republicans only makes up those same things about democrats to blame so as to keep republicans in power.

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Taking his/his family's money will be a worse punishment for him than prison.

People like him seems unlikely to be without well hidden sources of funds sufficient to ensure he can be comfortable when he is not in jail.

His Ukrainian and Russian friends may also lend him some loot.

I think we should be merciful and give him he less worse punishment of rotting in jail for life.

[Yonadav]

Here's a more nuanced look at factors influencing the sentence of Manafort. You know, for those who don't reduce everything that they feel displeasure toward into a mindless partisan temper tantrum.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...ls/584452/

[Amarok]

Most people understand nuance. Except for libtards. Libtards see everything through the lens of their favorite boogeymen, and everyone has to check every single box in the libtard column, and if they don't check one single libtard box, then it is as if they checked every box in the boogeyman column. Libtards see everyone as being either 100% with them or 100% against them. They are the only people on the planet who are even dumber than Trumptards, who can sometimes respect a bit of nuance.

Ellis was most certainly critical of some Mueller prosecutors. But Ellis also has a track record of being more lenient than guidelines suggest for sentencing, when he has latitude to be lenient. He has a track record of being opposed to mandatory sentencing.

I sympathize with Ellis' position, since I feel that mandatory sentencing is obviously legislative over-reach into the judicial branch of government.

That's  rich

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Here's a more nuanced look at factors influencing the sentence of Manafort. You know, for those who don't reduce everything that they feel displeasure toward into a mindless partisan temper tantrum.  

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...ls/584452/

Or people who pretend to be above it all and reduce other peoples idea's to "partisan temper tantrums "

[Angrboda]

Most people understand nuance. Except for libtards. Libtards see everything through the lens of their favorite boogeymen, and everyone has to check every single box in the libtard column, and if they don't check one single libtard box, then it is as if they checked every box in the boogeyman column. Libtards see everyone as being either 100% with them or 100% against them. They are the only people on the planet who are even dumber than Trumptards, who can sometimes respect a bit of nuance.

Well, there's certainly a lot of 'nuance' to your characterizations here.

From what I read briefly, 31 months is average for the type of crimes Manafort was being sentenced for. If so, fair dinkum, I guess. He may not get similar treatment from Jackson.

[The Grand Nudger]

From what I read briefly, 31 months is average for the type of crimes Manafort was being sentenced for.  If so, fair dinkum, I guess.  He may not get similar treatment from Jackson.

The sentencing suggestion of 235-239 was based on the average, the 31 month byline is based on TRAC data for -just- the lead charge.

[Angrboda]

From what I read briefly, 31 months is average for the type of crimes Manafort was being sentenced for.  If so, fair dinkum, I guess.  He may not get similar treatment from Jackson.

The sentencing suggestion of 235-239 was based on the average, the 31 month byline is based on TRAC data for -just- the lead charge.

Good to know. I haven't had the time to read as deeply on current events as I would like lately. I confess that I only skimmed that bit.

[The Grand Nudger]

Understandable, really, the media is tripping all over itself to try and make some sense of this that doesn't include the realization that, for some people, crime does pay and doesn't have consequences.

I would gladly spend 30 some odd months in fed club med to have profited so much and lived such a life. I;d consider it a necessary tour of duty for entry into the club, lol. I don't know that many people would, that's just me.

[Yonadav]

Here's an article about Ellis and his attitude toward mandatory minimum sentences that was written almost a year ago. They guy is sort of at war with congress over the issue, and has been forced to impose some seriously harsh sentences. For example, he was expected to sentence an armed robber who had not killed anyone to 82 years.

https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the...ces-697826

[The Grand Nudger]

"I chafe a bit at that, but I follow the law. If I thought it was blatantly immoral, I'd have to resign. It's wrong, but not immoral."

Disambulate away Judge Ellis, lol.