Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

After Paul Manafort Was Sentenced to Just 47 Months in Jail, People Are Sharing Others' Prison Sentences and Coming to the Same Conclusion

After Paul Manafort Was Sentenced to Just 47 Months in Jail, People Are Sharing Others' Prison Sentences and Coming to the Same Conclusion
ALEXANDRIA, VA - MARCH 08: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort (R) leaves the Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse with his wife Kathleen Manafort (L) after an arraignment hearing as a protester holds up a sign March 8, 2018 in Alexandria, Virginia. Manafort pleaded not guilty to new tax and fraud charges, brought by special counsel Robert MuellerÕs Russian interference investigation team, at the Alexandria federal court in Virginia, where he resides. A trial date has been set for July 10, 2018. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The scales are unbalanced.

After defrauding the United States of millions through his work in Ukraine and on behalf of Russian elites, former campaign chair to President Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, received a 47 month prison sentence in one of the two cases brought against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office.

The sentence—handed down by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III—was a far cry from the 19 to 24 years recommended by the Special Counsel, insisting that Manafort had lived an otherwise "blameless life."


A chorus of voices soon began coming out against the sentence's leniency, criticizing Judge Ellis for believing Manafort led a blameless life, and highlighting the widespread inequities within the United States' Justice System.

Among them was veteran journalist Dan Rather, who said:

“The sentence is just a slap on the wrist to, you know, a big-time criminal...a minor sentence for another elite, well-connected, Washington big-shot. I will say, a lot of black kids in the projects routinely get worse sentences than Manafort has gotten."

Many notable Americans began sharing stories of those who committed far less harmful crimes but—due to an insufficient amount of wealth or whiteness—were handed harsher sentences.

Whistleblower Edward Snowden brought attention to Chelsea Manning, a fellow whistleblower whose sentence for leaking information about war crimes earned her a three decade prison sentence.

Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky agreed.

Others pointed out the five years being served by Crystal Mason.

Many Americans joined with them to criticize the sentence.

One particular phrase used by Judge Ellis while handing down the sentence struck the ire of many.

In elaborating on the leniency of the sentence, Ellis said Manafort had lived an "otherwise blameless life." This—as many pointed out—was far from the truth.

However, there was one person who was pleased with the verdict.

Manafort still awaits sentencing next week for separate crimes of obstruction. The case is presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the same judge presiding over longtime Trump associate Roger Stone's case.

Berman Jackson's sentence is expected to be heavier, but rather than relying on her, we should be able to rely on an equal distribution of justice.

More from People/donald-trump

Vivian Wilson
@vivllainous/Instagram

Elon Musk's Trans Daughter Just Made Her Drag Debut At An Anti-ICE Fundraiser—And Fans Are Obsessed

Elon Musk's disowned trans daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson has made a name for herself online for mercilessly dragging the father who once said she was "dead" to him because she was "killed by the woke mind virus."

But recently she took it to a new level, leveraging her fame in her first drag performance at a Los Angeles anti-ICE fundraiser.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Administration Fast-Tracks Eliminating National Suicide Hotline's LGBTQ+ Youth Support

On Wednesday morning, news broke that the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump was eliminating certain suicide and self harm resources provided through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The lifeline offered callers options to speak to people who specialize in meeting their needs. But the Trump administration decided this was a service that LGBTQ+ young people don't deserve.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less