It’s Another Tuesday Afternoon Massacre at the Department of Justice

Here’s our timeline for the day. At 1:48 am President Trump tweets his displeasure with the 7-9 year prison sentence that prosecutors are recommending for his pal Roger Stone:

This is a horrible and very unfair situation. The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice! https://t.co/rHPfYX6Vbv

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2020

11:40 am: Word leaks that DOJ plans to override its prosecutors and reduce their recommended sentence:

The DOJ is changing its sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, according to a Senior DOJ official.
“The Department finds seven to nine years extreme, excessive and grossly disproportionate,” the source said, adding the DOJ will clarify its position on sentencing later today

— Jake Gibson (@JakeBGibson) February 11, 2020

1:56 pm: DOJ spokesman says they had not even seen Trump’s tweet when they made this decision. It was solely because the sentence seemed excessive.

3:01 pm: One of the prosecutors withdraws from the case and resigns as Assistant US Attorney for Washington DC:

Aaron Zelinsky, who had been a prosecutor in the special counsel’s office, has moved to withdraw from Roger Stone’s case. pic.twitter.com/3mHkuvgHhz

— Brad Heath (@bradheath) February 11, 2020

3:59 pm: Another prosecutor withdraws from the case and resigns from DOJ:

New: Another prosecutor in Roger Stone’s case has withdrawn after DOJ said it was reconsidering its sentencing recommendation. Jonathan Kravis “has resigned as an Assistant United States Attorney and therefore no longer represents the government in this case.” pic.twitter.com/eXbBjhXNFW

— Brad Heath (@bradheath) February 11, 2020

4:40 pm: Yet another prosecutor on the Stone team withdraws: