Washington, DC — Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, released the following statement:

“Roger Stone lied to the House Intelligence Committee and threatened a witness in an effort to cover up candidate Trump’s efforts to communicate with Wikileaks in releasing the Russian-hacked emails. He was found guilty on all charges.

“If reports are correct, the Department of Justice and Attorney General Bill Barr are poised to overrule career prosecutors who made a sentencing recommendation yesterday, following a midnight tweet from the President attacking the proposed length of sentence.

“I do not take a position on the proper prison term for Mr. Stone, but it would be a blatant abuse of power if President Trump has in fact intervened to reverse the recommendations of career prosecutors at the Department of Justice.

“Doing so would send an unmistakable message that President Trump will protect those who lie to Congress to cover up his own misconduct, and that the Attorney General will join him in that effort.

“Coupled with the President’s blatant retaliation against those who helped expose his wrongdoing, the Trump Administration poses the gravest threat to the rule of law in America in a generation.”

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