New York Prosecutors Seek “Substantial” Michael Cohen Slammer Time; Robert Mueller’s Memo Takes Kinder View

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York hammered President Donald Trump’s former fixer on Friday, recommending that Michael Cohen get a “substantial term of imprisonment.”

Minutes later, Special Counsel Robert Mueller filed a separate memo on Cohen, in which specific jail time is not recommended. The Mueller memo recommended Cohen’s sentence should reflect that he lied to investigators but also take into consideration his eventual cooperation. Although he wasn’t specific as to what would exonerate him, it’s likely he was referring to the Cohen situation.

Mueller, who is focusing his probe on Russian election tampering and whether the Trump campaign colluded, says information Cohen provided had been credible and consistent with other evidence they have obtained in ongoing investigation. The court should give Cohen consideration, Mueller recommended, because he had provided significant intel on additional Russian contacts with the Trump campaign.

U.S attorney for Southern District of New York said sentencing guidelines for crimes committed by Cohen range from 51 to 63 months, respectfully requesting only a “modest downward variance” — which, loosely translated, would mean Cohen would be looking at four to five years in the hoosegow.

Making its case, the U.S. attorney office in the Southern District of NY wrote that Cohen had committed four distinct federal crimes over a period of years, “motivated by personal gree … repeatedly using his power and influence for deceptive ends.”

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“Now, he seeks extraordinary leniency — a sentence of no jail time — based principally on his rose-colored view of the seriousness of the crimes, his claims to a sympathetic personal history, and his provision of certain information to law enforcement,” the document said.

“But the crimes committed by Cohen were more serious than his submission allows and were marked by a pattern of deception that permeated his professional life,” it added.

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