Joe Biden Campaign Accuses Donald Trump Of Abusing Authority By Commuting Roger Stone's Prison Sentence
Accusing Donald Trump of accusing his power, Joe Biden's campaign said the president's decision to commute Roger Stone's prison sentence has weakened the country. Biden's spokesman Bill Russo said Trump released the commutation on July 10 in a bid to avoid scrutiny as he continues to destroy the values and the norms that make America a shining beacon to the rest of the world.
Russo went on to say Trump will not be ashamed, adding that American people need to make their voice heard during the elections this fall to stop him. Stone, 67, was found guilty on all counts in trials, according to Fox News. He was convicted in Nov. last year on charges of false statements, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering, all related to Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
Stone was sentenced to forty months in prison in Feb. He recently made his second request for a new trial, following news about the possible political bias of one of the jurors in his first case. Much to Stone's chagrin, both motions have been denied.
On July 10, the White House announced that Trump had signed an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing what he described as the unjust sentence of Stone. This was done just ahead of the political operative's scheduled to report to prison. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordan defended Trump's decision, saying the president's choice to exercise his constitutional authority wasn't wrong.
Jordan released a statement accusing the Obama-Biden Administration of weaponizing the Justice Department and the intelligence community to target the Trump campaign. He described Stone's prosecution by the Special Counsel prosecutors as the consequence of the Obama-Biden misconduct.
Moreover, Jordan noted that Trump has the constitutional right to reduce sentences where he believes it serves the fairness and interest of justice. He supported the president's decision to commute Stone's 40-month sentence in the statement.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman and Trump's political adversary, Adam Schiff also weighed in the president's decision, calling his actions as corrupt cronyism. While in office, Trump has been involved in multiple activities that can be described as self-serving and injurious to the country's democracy, Schiff said.
Schiff noted that Stone has lied and tried to obstruct investigation against Trump, adding that the president's decision to reduce his sentence is one of the most offensive to the rule of law, as well as principles of justice. This commutation, according to Schiff shows America has two systems of justice, including one for the president's criminal friends and the other for everyone else.