Ex-federal prosecutor says Manafort's 47-month sentence is 'disrespectful of the American people'


Paul Manafort was sentenced on Thursday to 47 months in prison for bank and tax fraud, well below the guidelines of 19 1/2 to 24 years.
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner told Hardball's Chris Matthews this is an "unjust result," and "as an American, I'm upset." He's "disappointed" with Judge T.S. Ellis, who said in court that Manafort has "otherwise lived a blameless life," Kirschner said, calling the lenient sentence "an outrage" and "disrespectful of the American people."
The Washington Post's Jackie Alemany notes that in 2018, Ellis sentenced a 37-year-old man to the mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison for dealing meth, saying at the time: "I chafe a bit at that, but I follow the law. If I thought it was blatantly immoral, I'd have to resign. It's wrong, but not immoral."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Scott Hechinger, a public defender in Brooklyn, put Manafort's sentencing in context by tweeting that on Wednesday, one of his clients "was offered 36-72 months in prison for stealing $100 worth of quarters from a residential laundry room," and a colleague's client was "forced to plead out to the mandatory minimum of 3.5 years (5 months shy of Manafort) for simple possession of a firearm. No allegation of use. Prosecution wouldn't drop top count after a hearing. Best they had been willing to do was 2 years."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - free trade, judicial pushback, and more
By The Week US
-
5 educational cartoons about the Harvard pushback
Cartoons Artists take on academic freedom, institutional resistance, and more
By The Week US
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans