Paul Manafort, having received a surprisingly low sentence last week from a judge in Virginia last week, will face another sentencing hearing on Wednesday that could add up to 10 years on to his 47-month prison term.
But even after the second sentence comes down, the former campaign chair for President Donald Trump will have a remaining hope to avoid prison time: a presidential pardon. Former CIA Director John Brennan argued Monday on MSNBC that Trump will certainly pardon Manafort, even if it doesn’t happen immediately.
“Personally, I don’t have any doubt that Mr. Trump is going to pardon Paul Manafort at some point,” Brennan said. “The question is when. But then if he’s also convicted of state charges, Donald Trump is not going to be able to pardon him for that. So I do believe Paul Manafort will be able to get out of the federal charges because — what does Donald Trump have to lose if he pardons him?”
“That’s a significant statement,” said host Katy Tur. “That you have no doubt that he’s going to pardon.”
“Whether or not it’s when he’s leaving office, or whenever — but this is a person that he’s spoken very highly of and says he’s a good man,” Brennan continued. “He feels as though this whole investigation has been a lark and has been a witch hunt. And so why would Donald Trump allow him to stay in jail if those were his views?”
He added: “Anything is possible with Donald Trump. He uses these powers as he wants to, and as he believes is going to help him personally.”
Watch the clip below:
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