Mueller's Office Says Former Trump Campaign Chief Is 'Not Deserving of Leniency'

Robert Mueller's office, investigating Russian interference in the U.S. elections, has informed the court that Paul Manafort, former campaign chairman for Donald Trump, has 'repeatedly and brazenly' broken the law and is not deserving of leniency in sentencing. The letter from Mueller's office was sent to the judge on February 22 and details were made public on March 4. The letter states that 'for over a decade, Manafort has repeatedly and brazenly violated the law.' It adds that his criminal actions were 'clearly evident,' occurring both during his management of the campaign and after he was released on bail. A jury in Virginia found Manafort guilty on eight counts out of 18, including tax evasion and failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. In September, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States in another court in Washington. Any ruling from the current court in Washington may be executed in conjunction with the Virginia court's ruling. Manafort's sentencing is set for March 13, with the special prosecutor requesting 235 to 293 months of imprisonment based on the convictions and charges he has admitted to. The U.S. Department of Justice appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, to investigate allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. U.S. intelligence agencies have indicated that Moscow interfered in the election to benefit Trump and harm his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have denied these allegations. Trump has repeatedly asserted that there was no collusion between him and Moscow, describing the ongoing investigations as a 'political witch hunt.' Paul Manafort is a political consultant and lobbyist who has advised various election campaigns in the U.S. He managed Trump's campaign from March to August 2016. Judge Amy Berman Jackson stated on February 13 that Manafort had lied to prosecutors, violating an agreement he had with Mueller. Reports indicated that this breach could lead to a severe prison sentence for Manafort.