Is entering march with a host of new and growing political and legal challenges for himself, his family and some onetime members of his inner circle. Just a few hours ago, one of the former associates, campaign chairman, paul manafort, asked a federal judge in virginia to give him a prison term, significantly below the 19 to 24 years called for under sentencing guidelines. His lawyers noted what they call special counsel muellers attempt to vilify manafort as a, quote, lifelong and irredeemable felon, accusing mueller of grossly overstating the facts. Manafort, now 69 years old, was convicted in virginia of bank and tax fraud. He is set to be sentenced in virginia next thursday. And in washington, d. C. , six days later. There has been much speculation about a potential pardon from President Trump. One former associate who more than likely will not receive a pardon is trumps former personality attorney, Michael Cohen. He is headed to prison in may, but spent three days this week on cap
Everybody to see how the cookie crumbles. All rise. The courtroom deputy says, quote, your honor, recalling criminal case number 172011, the United States of america versus paul j. Manafort jr. And then the judge begins. Quote, the sentencing briefing, and to a lesser extent the argument in this case has been marked bay great deal of passion and a fair amount of hyperbole and overstatement on both sides. This defendant is not public enemy number one, but he is not a victim either. I also want to make clear from the start that the conclusion of this particular prosecution with the imposition of sentence today will not be a vindication of and will not incriminate anyone who was involved in or the subject of the Ongoing Investigation by the office of the special counsel. Not withstanding the many references that pepper the sentencing memo, the question of whether there was or was not any coordination or conspiracy or any collusion between anyone associated with the president ial campaign
The 11th hour with Brian Williams starts now. Tonight, the trouble for trump. The president headed into a new month after a week of damaging new accusations of failure to land a deal with north korea. And now weve got exclusive reporting tonight that democrats are getting ready to formally ask for his tax returns. Plus, in a court filing late today, Paul Manaforts lawyers argue for less jail time before the sentencing next week. The 11th hour on a friday night starts now. Good evening from here in new york. Im katy tur in for Brian Williams. Day 1,771, and the president is entering march with a host of new legal challenges for himself, his family and some onetime members of his inner circle. Just a few hours ago, one of the former associates, campaign chairman, paul manafort, asked a federal judge in virginia to give him a prison term, significantly below the 19 to 24 years called for under sentencing guidelines. His lawyers noted what they call special counsel muellers attempt to vili
Enemy number one, but he is not a victim either. I also want to make clear from the start that the conclusion of this particular prosecution with the imposition of sentence today will not be a vindication of and will not incriminate anyone who was involved in or the subject of the Ongoing Investigation by the office of the special counsel. Not withstanding the many references that pepper the sentencing memo, the question of whether there was or was not any coordination or conspiracy or any collusion between anyone associated with the president ial campaign and anyone in russia was not presented in this case. Period. Therefore it was not resolved one way or the other by this case. She continues, also, this sentence will not be an endorsement or an indictment of the mission or the tactics of the office of special counsel. That question is not before the court either. Nor does it fall to me today to pass judgment on pall as a human being, or decide, as his daughter asked me to, if he is w
She had had quite a lot of back and forth with the defense counsel. She had heard an apology from the defendant, who spoke from his wheelchair, and then she took a break. So deep breath. Everybody collect yourself, and then when she comes back from that recess, its time for everybody to see how the cookie crumbles. All rise. The courtroom deputy says, quote, your honor, recalling criminal case number 172011, the United States of america versus paul j. Manafort jr. And then the judge begins. Quote, the sentencing briefing, and to a lesser extent the argument this morning in this case, has been marked bay great deal of passion and a fair amount of hyperbole and overstatement on both sides. This defendant is not public enemy number one, but he is not a victim either. I also want to make clear from the start that the conclusion of this particular prosecution with the imposition of sentence today will not be a vindication of and will not incriminate anyone who was involved in or the subject