Jessie Liu, who previously oversaw the office that handled Roger Stone’s prosecution, has submitted her resignation from the Treasury department.
Liu was nominated for a top position in the Treasury, but it was recently rescinded. This is likely due to her involvement in the Stone case.
In the last few days, a political firestorm has engulfed the Justice Department and Capitol Hill over Stone’s prosecution. Four prosecutors resigned after Stone received a lighter sentence than they recommended.
Read on as we try to make sense of this chaotic situation. Liu quitting the Treasury department is a symptom of a darker drama unfolding in Washington.
Earlier this week, Trump was furious that prosecutors for the Justice Department had recommended a nine-year prison sentence for Roger Stone.
Among other offenses, Stone was found guilty of lying to Congress. His sentencing became a topic of contention for Trump, who publicly slammed the sentence.
After Trump’s complaints, the Justice Department quickly reversed course on the sentencing. Several higher-ups in the department said they weren’t aware of the prosecutors’ sentencing recommendations before they became public.
However, their sudden reversal has led many to raise the alarm that Trump may be abusing the power of his office. His angry tweets might have had more impact on the judge than the actual lawyers’ advice.
Liu’s resignation from the Treasury Department comes only days after the four prosecutors overseeing Stone’s case resigned from the Justice Department.
Their resignations immediately followed Trump’s anger about the sentencing. It seems to indicate that Trump will move to protect any of his political allies from the law.
Liu was up for a Senate-approved Treasury department job, but Trump himself rescinded her nomination.
According to sources close to the matter, many in the White House were shocked that Trump pulled Liu’s nomination. From the outside looking in, it seems like Trump is allowing his partisan view of staffers’ politics dictate who can advance in Washington DC.
Check back soon for more updates on this situation.
