Senior U.S. judge defends sentencing decisions after Trump tweet on Stone case

The top judge on the U.S. District Court in Washington said in an unusual public statement on Thursday that public criticism "is not a factor" in sentencing decisions, after President Donald Trump took aim at a judge from her court who is overseeing longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone's criminal trial.

"The Judges of this Court base their sentencing decisions on careful consideration of the actual record in the case before them; the applicable sentencing guidelines and statutory factors; the submissions of the parties, the Probation Office and victims; and their own judgment and experience," Chief Judge Beryl Howell said. "Public criticism or pressure is not a factor," she said.