Trump Tweets About Stone Case, Praises Barr

President Trump began his Wednesday with words of praise for Attorney General Bill Barr, tweeting his "congratulations" to Barr "for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought." He's referring to the Roger Stone case, which has been marked by dramatic twists this week after the DOJ asked a federal judge in a filing to sentence Stone to "far less" than the 7 to 9 years recommended by prosecutors, a move that prompted four prosecutors involved to quit the case.

The Hill's take: "Trump's tweet on Wednesday is likely to cause further criticism from Democrats as well as questions about the president’s interest and potential involvement in Justice Department matters and Barr's own decisionmaking." The New York Times reports that while presidents have historically refrained from getting involved in DOJ decisions, doing so is not prohibited by law. As for the four prosecutors who jumped from the case, Politico notes that in a subsequent tweet Trump suggested they are "rogue prosecutors." He wrote, "Two months in jail for a Swamp Creature," in what was possibly a reference to this, per the New York Post. "Yet 9 years recommended for Roger Stone (who was not even working for the Trump Campaign). Gee, that sounds very fair! Rogue prosecutors maybe? The Swamp!" (More President Trump stories.)