Roger Stone Leaves Courthouse January 25, 2019 (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press) Roger Stone, a political operative and long-time friend was arrested and indicted on seven counts of making false statements, obstruction, and witness tampering. This indictment is the first solid link between the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Trump campaign forged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Stone although not officially a campaign official was an unofficial advisor and in close contact with Trump.
Article 12 of the indictment says, “a senior Trump campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases….” This wording suggests that someone higher than a senior campaign official ordered that campaign official to contact Stone about WikiLeaks.
Although Mueller did not charge Stone with conspiracy, the groundwork for additional charges including conspiracy with Russia, was included. One of the perjury charges, for instance, says, “in the course of his [House Intelligence Committee] testimony, STONE made deliberately false and misleading statements to the committee concerning, among other things, his possession of documents pertinent to the Committee’s investigation [of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign].”
Mueller indictment of Stone on these charges may be intended to pressure him to provide evidence against someone higher up, namely Trump. Although Stone swore he would not flip on Trump, he may be expecting a pardon. If Trump doesn’t pardon him, the likelihood of spending the rest of his life in prison may cause him to flip.
Article 12 of the indictment says, “a senior Trump campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases….” This wording suggests that someone higher than a senior campaign official ordered that campaign official to contact Stone about WikiLeaks.
Although Mueller did not charge Stone with conspiracy, the groundwork for additional charges including conspiracy with Russia, was included. One of the perjury charges, for instance, says, “in the course of his [House Intelligence Committee] testimony, STONE made deliberately false and misleading statements to the committee concerning, among other things, his possession of documents pertinent to the Committee’s investigation [of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign].”
Mueller indictment of Stone on these charges may be intended to pressure him to provide evidence against someone higher up, namely Trump. Although Stone swore he would not flip on Trump, he may be expecting a pardon. If Trump doesn’t pardon him, the likelihood of spending the rest of his life in prison may cause him to flip.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/us/politics/roger-stone-trump-mueller.html
