WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after all four career prosecutors handling the federal case against Roger Stone, a campaign operative and Donald Trump confidante, withdrew from the legal proceedings just hours after President Trump tweeted about the case and the Department of Justice then stepped in to try to override their sentencing recommendation, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), issued the following statement:

“Roger Stone was convicted in Federal court.  He threatened witnesses and judges, obstructed justice, and committed perjury.  Those are the facts.  He was facing up to fifty years, but prosecutors - who had gotten DOJ signoff - recommended seven to nine.  Then President Trump starts tweeting and the gears of justice at the Department of Justice suddenly screech to a halt.

“It’s shocking that four career professionals would resign from a case like this because it suggests serious political interference and malfeasance by the political higher ups at the Department of Justice.  The American people deserve to know what role Attorney General Barr played here and I urge the Inspector General to investigate. 

“Justice should be impartial.  There shouldn’t be one set of sentencing guidelines for everyone and another set for President Trump’s friends and those who lied to protect him.  Clearly, something is rotten here or all four prosecutors wouldn’t have felt it necessary to quit.”