Washington, March 9 (RHC)-- In the U.S. state of Virginia, a federal judge sentenced Donald Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort to 47 months in prison for eight counts of bank fraud and tax evasion -- far less than the 19-to-24-year prison term recommended by federal sentencing guidelines.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis -- who was nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan -- called the sentencing guidelines outlined by special counsel Robert Mueller’s team “excessive” and said Manafort had led an “otherwise blameless life.”

In response, New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: “Paul Manafort getting such little jail time for such serious crimes lays out for the world how it’s almost impossible for rich people to go to jail for the same amount of time as someone who is lower income.  In our current broken system, 'justice' isn’t blind.  It’s bought.”

Paul Manafort faces a second sentencing hearing at a federal court in the District of Columbia next week on two additional counts of conspiracy.