Tuesday, November 5th, will be the opening day of the trial of Roger Stone.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who was nominated by then-President Barack Obama for her federal judgeship, will preside over the case.
Jackson has established a two-week window for the trial – which, as detailed below, pretty much guarantees that Stone will be convicted (and perhaps even incarcerated) by Thanksgiving.
Stone is facing a total of seven charges: Count 1: Obstruction of Proceeding; Counts 2-6: False Statements; and Count 7: Witness Tampering.
All of the charges stem from his September 26, 2017 appearance before the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) – which was investigating the alleged involvement of Russia in the U.S. 2016 presidential election.
Although he could have – and, in retrospect, probably should have – invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and simply refused to answer any questions from the HPSCI Committee, Stone did not do so.
Instead, he answered all the questions that were asked of him – which is what led to the charges he is now facing.
The specifics behind the pending charges are as follows:
RE: Count 1: Obstruction of Proceeding: In conjunction with this charge, the prosecution is claiming that Stone interfered with the HPSCI hearing by testifying falsely, by failing to turn over requested documents, and by providing misleading information as to who acted as his intermediary with Julian Assange, the head of WikiLeaks, in mid-August 2016. In addition, the prosecution is also claiming that Stone attempted to have another witness, Randy Credico, provide false testimony when he later appeared before the HPSCI (Credico actually invoked his Fifth Amendment rights – and refused to answer any questions).
RE: Counts 2-6: False Statements: All five of these charges are based on what the prosecution claims were “materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” that Stone gave to specific questions he was asked during the hearing.
RE: Count 7: Witness Tampering: In conjunction with this charge, the prosecution is claiming that Stone “corruptly convinced” Credico not to testify before the HPSCI.
The case is being jointly prosecuted by attorneys from the Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.
Stone is being represented by Grant Smith and Bruce S. Rogow.
*****
Pre-Dawn Raid Signaled How Stone Would Be Treated
Right from the outset, the federal government made it very clear that Stone was going to treated as harshly as possible.
That’s why instead of notifying his attorneys that Stone had been indicted and allowing him to surrender himself, the FBI conducted a military-style, pre-dawn raid on his home in Fort Lauderdale, FL on January 25th.
For those who were watching CNN at the time, they even got to see more than a dozen FBI agents and local police storm the house in “real-time” because the network had been tipped off about the raid – and had cameras set up to cover it.
*****
Things Have Not Gone Much Better for Stone Since His Arraignment
In the intervening ten months since his arraignment, Stone has filed numerous motions regarding various aspects of his case.
Judge Jackson has ruled against him on almost every one of those.
One of the few rulings that went his way had to do with the prosecution’s plan to show a scene from the movie The Godfather – Part II during Stone’s trial.
The indictment against Stone charges that he pressured an associate to “do a Frank Pentangeli” in his testimony before the HPSCI. In the 1974 film, Pentangeli (played by Michael V. Gazzo) is a lieutenant in the Corleone mafia family who recants incriminating Senate testimony after the family arranges for his brother to sit in the audience for the hearing.
In denying the prosecution’s request to show the scene from the film, Jackson noted: “The government will not be permitted to introduce the clip itself in its case in chief because the prejudicial effect of the videotape, which includes a number of extraneous matters, outweighs its probative value”.
But, despite those concerns, Jackson also ruled that the prosecution will be allowed to introduce the dialog from that scene as evidence in the case against Stone.
So, even when Stone wins a rare ruling, he still loses.
*****
Raising Money for His Defense Has Been Hard
Stone has spent much of the last ten months trying to raise money to cover his legal expenses – which are expected to be approximately $3 million (For those Frank Report readers who still don’t understand why 97% of federal defendants end up taking plea deals rather than going to trial, just contemplate the cost for a 2-week trial).
Thus far, more than 45,000 people from across the country have donated almost $2 million to Stone’s defense fund.
But Stone has also noted that even some long-time friends and associates have shunned his requests for donations. “When you are in a crisis, you find out who your real friends are. You also find out who your real friends aren’t”, he said.
Throughout the time that he has been trying to raise money for his defense fund, Stone has been under a “gag order” that prevents him from publicly discussing any aspect of his case – a situation that has seriously hampered his fund-raising efforts.
He has also been under travel restrictions that have limited his ability to attend as many fundraisers as he otherwise would have done.
*****
Some Surprise Witnesses Expected
According to the National Law Journal, one of the witnesses that the government plans to call in Stone’s trial is Steve Bannon, the former White House strategist and head of Breitbart.
Bannon will be appearing voluntarily rather than in response to a subpoena.
A person familiar with Bannon’s expected role in the trial says Bannon will likely testify that he communicated with Stone throughout the 2016 Presidential campaign – and that Stone “was portraying himself to Bannon as someone who was in touch with Assange.”
Rick Gates, who was deputy campaign manager for the Trump presidential campaign, is also expected to testify as a prosecution witness in Stone’s trial. Gates is expected to testify that Stone passed along information that supposedly came from WikiLeaks to the Trump campaign.
Many see the Stone trial as part of the overall push to impeach Trump – especially with respect to matters concerning WikiLeaks.
Stone himself could provide some blockbuster testimony if he were to take the stand in his own defense.
That’s because Trump provided written answers to the following questions posed to him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller:
– Were you told of anyone associated with you or your campaign, including Roger Stone, having any discussions, directly or indirectly with WikiLeaks…regarding the content or timing of released or hacked emails?
– Did Mr. Stone ever discuss WikiLeaks with you, or, as far as you were aware, with anyone else associated with the campaign?
– Did Mr. Stone at any time inform you about contacts he had with WikiLeaks or any intermediary of WikiLeaks, or about the forthcoming release of information?
In his written responses, Trump made these two statements:
– “I do not recall being told during the campaign that Roger Stone or anyone associated with my campaign had discussions with any of the entities named in the question regarding the content or timing of the release of hacked emails”.
– “I do not recall discussing WikiLeaks with [Stone], nor do I recall being aware of Mr. Stone having discussed WikiLeaks with individuals associated with my campaign”.
Trump also noted that although he had spoken with Stone “from time to time during the campaign”, he had no “recollection of the specifics of any conversations he with Stone between June 1, 2016, and Election Day”.
*****
Can Stone Get a Fair Trial in the District of Columbia?
Given the composition of registered voters in the District of Columbia, it seems very unlikely that Stone will actually be tried by a jury of his peers.
That’s because 76% of those voters are registered as Democrats – while only 6% are registered as Republicans. Another 1% are registered with the D.C. Statehood Green Party and 1% with the Libertarian Party – and the remaining 16% are registered with other parties or no party at all.
If he is convicted on all counts, Stone could be facing a maximum sentence of 50 years. Assuming, however, that his sentences would run concurrently – and that he’ll be fairly evaluated as a first-time offender – his actual sentence will more likely be in the 4-6 years range.
Compare that, if you will, to the 21-27 months that Clare Bronfman will be facing when she’s sentenced next January.
Ahh, justice in America…Whatever you can afford is what you get.
[…] K.R. Claviger […]
Make no mistake about it.
This attempt to railroad Roger Stone is really an attack on Donald Trump.
The Democrats want a massive 2020 Show Trial, like the show trials in Stalin’s Russia, to attack Enemies of the Deep State.
And the biggest enemy of the Deep State is Donald Trump.
…of the Democracy is Donald Trump
KR Claviger you are implying that Stone is not guaranteed a fair trial, but yet you have no idea what evidence exists against him.
There is much to suggest that Stone has committed even more crimes than just the ones he is currently accused of. He could possibly have further charges brought against him later. I think we will have to wait and see what comes out during his trial before assuming he’s been treated unfairly.
Part of the “unfairness” lies in the fact that he is facing seven federal felony counts for what amounts to two illegal actions. Kind of like getting 28 jaywalking tickets because that’s how many steps it took you to get across the street.
In addition, the way in which he was arrested underscores the fact that he is getting “special treatment” from the Department of Justice. The same is true in terms of the restrictions that have been placed upon him since his arrest.
Finally, the trial judge’s pre-trial rulings have pretty much removed any hope he had of being able to mount a successful defense. And the fact that he’s being tried in Washington, DC virtually guarantees that he will be found guilty on all counts.
Claims about the arrest seem not to pan out, from what I could find – particularly given that he had, at least implicitly, threatened violence, and had made a point of having himself photographed with weapons:
Roger Stone’s Arrest Was Appropriate, Not Heavy-Handed
https://www.lawfareblog.com/roger-stones-arrest-was-appropriate-not-heavy-handed
Experts: Roger Stone arrest typical, not ‘gestapo’ like
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190131/experts-roger-stone-arrest-typical-not-gestapo-like
The remarkably selective outrage on the right about Roger Stone’s arrest
“You shouldn’t only start caring about these things when some rich, white, powerful elite is subjected to its abuses.”
https://www.vox.com/2019/1/31/18204436/roger-stone-trump-fbi-arrest-outrage
As that last piece gets at, perhaps what we need to question is what has become typical, perhaps without many people being aware of it.
Flowers doesn’t believe in the innocent until proven guilty – or the beyond a reasonable doubt standard. She seems to believe she can color anyone she wants guilty and then the onus is on them to prove they are innocent. That’s not how the system works.
Due process sucks when you’re guilty and the evidence is solid.
Remember, some Kangaroos are guilty.
Stone met with Julian Assange? Gimme a break!! This canard was demolished ages ago. How come it’s still doing the rounds in the land of the free, home of the brave (not)?
Did Roger Stone ever work for NXIVM?
Why isn’t trump helping Stone? Roger Stone helped trump so much.
I met Stone. I was really cool. I want to have his style when I grow up 🙂
It sucks how the media portrayed him. I have donated money to his cause.
Thank you Frank Report for sharing about his cause. I was not aware about it.
What is the best way to fight this?
Krclaviger,
“One of the few rulings that went his way had to do with the prosecution’s plan to show a scene from the movie The Godfather – Part II during Stone’s trial”, krclaviger.
K.R.Claviger,
I think the right play for Roger Stone would have been to stick with Godfather II quote because he was having a conversation with a friend and was joking around. Why diffuse a bomb if it all ready went off?
My version of the story would have been: Roger was having a conversation with a friend/associate joking around …. Who hasn’t quoted a movie joking around with a friend? Making a point, but not serious whatsoever. Oh yeah quoting The Godfather II, seriously? What if he quoted Star Wars or Connan?”. ….
Now, without the quote coming from a Movie, how do you defend the quote?
I personally think Roger Stone is getting railroaded. Roger Stone’s crime is having a big mouth and that is it.
Roger Stone’s real mistake was answering questions, under oath, before a Congressional Committee. Had he asserted his Fifth Amendment rights, he most likely would not have been charged at all – let alone with seven felonies.
His next big challenge will be deciding whether to take the stand at his upcoming trial. If he does, then he will very likely get blistered on cross-examination.
If Roger ends up serving more time than Clare Bronfman – which he almost certainly will – it will underscore some of the inequities that are inherent in our current criminal justice system.
Krclaviger,
“Had he asserted his Fifth Amendment right”…….His attorney or his pride let him down.
I should have expounded on my, “guilty of a big mouth”.
I myself had a conversation with a friend/colleagu and I quoted Robert De Niro’s Al Capone character in the movie the Untouchables. If my friend or the FBI had recorded the conversation I could be in the same dire-straits Stone finds himself in.
Hopefully a a juror or two will do the right thing.
Preytell, what is the right thing? This I guess was not a kangaroo trial like the article says.
[…] Roger Stone Kangaroo Trial Set to Start on November 5th – Outcome Is Already Set […]
“Roger is a stone-cold loser,” he told the New Yorker. “He always tries taking credit for things he never did,” Trump said.
To demonstrate how the underhanded American Deep State and their allies in the media and Canada operate, there is now a story in Canada that Roger Stone conspired with Frank Parlato and other operatives in the Republican Party to overthrow Canada’s Prime Minister Justin “Blackface” Trudeau in the recent elections.
As if Frank Parlato does not already have his hands full fighting those Canadian transplants Clare and Sara Bronfman.
I suppose Roger Stone is responsible for convincing Justin Trudeau to go to parties in the year 2000 dressed up in blackface and brownface.
Justin Trudeau’s only qualification for public office is that he was a part-time high school Drama teacher and a ski instructor.
Oh yes, and Justin’s daddy, Pierre Trudeau, was Prime Minister from 1968 to 1984.
When Justin was just an infant, President Nixon held him in his arms at a White House party and declared Justin would be a future Prime Minister of Canada.
And the Canadians are upset that non-Indigenous people are working with Indian tribes to operate casinos in America.
As a matter of fact, many Indian tribes in America hire non-Indigenous people to operate casinos.
It’s perfectly legitimate for Native Americans to partner with European-Americans to operate businesses.
Unfortunately, Canada is as lost to reality as the followers of NXIVM – and Justin Trudeau was re-elected to serve another term as Prime Minister.
What would you expect from Canada, a nation with four Socialist political parties?
The Liberals, the New Democrats, the Bloc Quebecoise and the Green Party.
Even the Canadian Conservatives used to call themselves the Progressive Conservatives.
But to the Deep State with Global Tentacles everywhere anyone who opposes their Utopian agenda is an enemy.
Did A Trump Operative Taint Canadian Election With Foreign Interference?
OCT 18
Posted by Amy MacPherson
https://freethepresscanada.org/author/msamymacpherson/
“Blame Canada – South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (3/9) Movie CLIP (1999) HD”
Amy will soon post a new article and I can’t wait to see what she has uncovered now, with regards to Warren Kinsella and corruption within the CPC.
Shadow, I don’t believe the Bronfman sisters were born in Canada. I believe they have always lived either in the US or in Europe. They are only Canadian because their father was Canadian.
“They are only Canadian because their father was Canadian.”
That’s all it takes.
And Canadians like Nicki Clyne worship the Bronfman sisters because they belong to one of the most powerful families in Canada.
Their cousin Stephen is a big fundraiser for the Canadian Liberal party..
And speaking of corruption, Amy should focus on the Montreal engineering firm of SNC-Lavalin and how Trudeau tried to kill a criminal investigation of it earlier this year.
Shadowstate,
What in God’s name are you talking about?
“That’s all it takes.
And Canadians like Nicki Clyne worship the Bronfman sisters because they belong to one of the most powerful families in Canada.”
Canada is not North Koch where the supreme leader is worshipped like a God.
Justin Trudeau black face? It should be right up your alley…..Since being from Illinois….You are most likely an Illinois Nazi or former Michigan Militia member.
You hate the blacks and Mexicans.
White Power?
Oh, your not a Illinois Nazi Or Michigan Militia member?
Why make quotes in German?
LMAO
You are busted!!!!!
You little Waffen S.S. member wannabe freak. 😉
Now, I know why you defended Keith Raniere when someone asked if he was a Jew. “Keith Raniere is no Jew”,Shadow1958.
LOL
Heil Hitler!!!
Herr Shadowstate1958?
So-called Niceguy:
As usual your entire comment comes out of your rear end.
I did not defend Keith Raniere by saying he is not Jewish.
The truth is that Keith Raniere is NOT Jewish.
Keith Raniere is Italian-American.
My statement is not either pro- or anti-Jewish.
It is merely a statement of fact.
So-called Nicegy:
Why are you obsessed with Jews and who is Jewish?
Are you a member of NXIVM who likes to tell Jewish women that they are reincarnated Nazis so that he can better manipulate them?
Just the way that Keith Raniere does.
In fact one of my school friends is of Jewish heritage and grew up to be a scientist working at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
And his wife is of Japanese.
And for your information many educated people speak or understand some German, particularly if they have a scientific background.
And there is a dialect of German called Yiddish which mixes German with Hebrew, French and other languages and is spoken by many people of German Jewish extraction.
And German history is a lot more than Hitler and the Nazi party.
Your education in German History began and ended with reruns of “Hogan’s Heroes.”
Niceguy, you must be as dumb as Jim Del Negro, the NXIVM member who was raped by a 100 pound Asian woman.
And I don’t hate blacks or Hispanics or Asians.
I just want everyone who is in America to be here LEGALLY.
Which means your girl friend Nicki Clyne should be deported back to Canada pronto!
Oh, I spoke Spanish!
Does that make me a Mexican?
Niceguy,
You are too dense to understand that your heroine Allison Pimp Mack is guilty of around one hundred cases of ASSAULT AND BATTERY.
Every woman who was forcibly held down and branded under the direct or indirect orders of Allison Pimp Mack was ASSAULTED AND BATTERED by Allison Pimp Mack.
That is a fact.
That is the law.
As for Justin Trudeau, he is a national embarrassment for Canada.
And unfortunately the Canadians have yet to realize it.
Shadowstate1958,
I think your gas stove is on and the pilot is out. You are gas-lighting yourself literally.
I mentioned the Jews and then you went into a tirade, insinuating that I brought up the Jews.
I am very familiar with Yiddish.
Yiddish is a dying language.
You are a meshuggeneh….May God help you.
😉
So you’re on a first name basis with this alleged journalist, Flowers? Are you feeding her some of your theories with no basis in facts? Why do you dislike Frank, Flowers?
Why do you assume I dislike Frank? Just because I’m concerned about possible foreign interference in the Canadian election doesnt mean I dislike Frank, or even that I believe he may be involved.
I don’t know this journalist, other than reading a few of her articles. I definitely have not fed her any theories…in fact I was unaware of her ideas and theories on the topic until I read her article.
I’m not sure why you think I had any theories myself regarding election interference. Also, a good journalist would not rely on other people’s theories without seeing some evidence.
You would do anything for a bit of personal attention on this site Flowers, as ever.
Flowers,
Isn’t Prime Minister Trudeau notorious for enjoying frequent vacations on the private island in the Bahamas owned by a mysterious billionaire named Aga Khan?
Politics
Ruling in Trudeau-Aga Khan case could change rules for unpaid lobbyists
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-aga-khan-lobbying-investigation-1.5100169
Yes Flowers, a good journalist would check facts. A good journalist wouldn’t regurgitate stories found on the internet without ensuring they’re correct. A good journalist would get comments from the people they are citing in their story, or, at the very least, try to contact people and if they choose not to comment that would be included in the reporting. It appears none of that occurred in Ms MacPherson’s story. She makes a lot of assertions but has nothing to back them up. But, I guess, birds of a feather do flock together.
So Many Questions/Agenda/etc.
You seem very concerned about me for some weird reason. Now you are also very concerned about Ms MacPherson’s articles.
Here’s what I’ve found….the more truth there is to the accusations, the more concerned the guilty party becomes. So, no need to worry unless you’ve committed a crime. Plus, nothing will happen unless law enforcement decides there is reason to investigate.
Flowers why not help yourself by letting everyone know what’s going on with this supposed campaign against you, you keep posting indirects at others expecting them to let you and everyone else know why they are supposedly attacking you? What is at the bottom of this highly covert campaign against you? I see you fighting, for years now – but I’ve yet to have a clue of who or what it is you’re defending yourself against.
Please, fill us in, give us a clue? Someone here could even be of help?
Anonymous
Highly covert? Not really….if they were actually highly covert I wouldn’t have been able to track them down this far….though I did have some help along the way.
What is behind their anger is a question I can’t answer, since I never even knew these people prior to the harassment.
Checked out her Twitter to see if she’s posted another article. Looks like our Flower uses a different handle when she tweets but the same words.
I’m not the journalist, twitter handle guy. I don’t post any articles. I only mentioned that I am looking forward to READING her upcoming article.
No one said you’re the journalist Toots! 🙂
You’re just someone who likes interacting with her tweets and helping her out. 🤨
Lol. Does the picture look like me?
😂
Dahlia, and you have real trouble posting a logical statement, mainly because you are passive-aggressively trying to attack me. Why don’t you grow a set already and just admit why you keep trolling me? Lol!
Flowers,
OMG…..
I mentioned one time that you acted in a passive sentence manner; And now you are labeling other people as being passive aggressive?
Seriously?
You have real trouble understanding context in the written word 🌺
Do you know what passive/aggressive means? My statement was declarative. 🌺
You’re passive-aggressive because you keep trolling and harassing me and pretend there is no real reason for your anger and hatred directed towards me. You’re too cowardly to admit who you really are and what your real reasons are.
Do normal adults behave like you do? Like a middle school bully?
Flowers I will tell you who I am. I am someone who has been reading the FR for many years and someone who was drawn in by you when you first started commenting here. I believed you had been a victim but I believe it no more. I believe you’ve been using this forum for some reason unbeknownst to anyone but you and if you’re a victim of anything or anyone you’re a victim of yourself. I am not angry at you. I don’t hate you. I’m disgusted by the way to interact with others here.
I don’t like the way you’ve treated people who have come here to talk about their real experiences with NXIVM. I really don’t like the way you treat Heidi. I don’t like the way you pretend people are bullying you when you are the worst of the bunch on here and I’ve had enough. I do behave as a normal adult but you fail to recognize this since you don’t. You project all your bad behaviors onto others. You are the one filled with anger and fueled by hate. It makes me wonder what you have done in your life to find you acting in such a way at your age.
I don’t know what your deal is Flowers but I suggest you gain some self awareness before you find yourself in big trouble. 🌺
Considering the fact that I have never bullied anyone (other than insulting those who had insulted me FIRST) and have never said anything negative about NXIVM victims, your comment doesnt even make sense. When there are a number of commenters here who do continually critisize exNXIVM members, why would you troll me instead of them?
Obviously you have another reason for your hatred.
Flowers read above & exhale!
😉
Niceguy,
I’m not the one who has anything to worry about. ..but Anonymous/The Agenda/Nicegal/Leon Festinger etc. must be worried about something. Since they keep attacking me and then lying about their reasons for doing so, it appears they have something to hide.
Plus, they have stalked me to other SM sites, so they are also obsessed.
The “explanation” they give for their actions is hilarious.
Flowers, please do not mention my name among those you believe have some kind of ulterior motive where you are concerned. I was trying to offer you some advice and you chose to Ignore it and insult me. That is fine and I have not addressed a comment toward you since the time I said I would not. I would appreciate the same courtesy be shown to me; in kind.
ShadowGaf/—– Donnie Dump you-say Trump dumped Roger Stone….. Because Trump needs to distance himself from Scandals. The hope is if Trump loses his reelection bid, he will immediately pardon Roger or if Trump wins, he’ll pardon him near the end of his second term.
That’s what a typical politician would do. Trump may pardon him and others near the beginning of his second term.