Roger Stone

Roger Jason Stone
Born:	August 27, 1952 Norwalk, Connecticut
Charges:	Obstruction, False statements, Witness tampering
Sentence:	40 months (commuted), $20,000 fine
Facility:
Status:	Pardoned

Roger Jason Stone (born August 27, 1952) is an American political consultant, lobbyist, and longtime advisor to Donald Trump. Known for his aggressive political tactics dating back to the Nixon administration and his famous tattoo of Richard Nixon's face on his back, Stone has been a prominent figure in Republican politics for five decades. On November 15, 2019, Stone was convicted on seven counts of obstruction, making false statements to Congress, and witness tampering in connection with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. He was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and fined $20,000. On July 10, 2020, days before Stone was due to report to prison, President Trump commuted his sentence. On December 23, 2020, Trump granted Stone a full pardon.

Summary

Roger Stone is a legendary—and controversial—figure in American politics. Since his involvement in Richard Nixon's 1972 campaign at age 19, Stone has been at the center of Republican political operations for half a century. He co-founded one of Washington's most powerful lobbying firms with Paul Manafort and has advised candidates from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump.

Stone's relationship with Trump spans more than four decades, making him Trump's longest-serving political advisor. He first met Trump in 1979 through attorney Roy Cohn and later encouraged Trump to run for president as early as 1988.

Stone's aggressive, win-at-all-costs style finally caught up with him during the Mueller investigation. Prosecutors proved that Stone had served as an informal conduit between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks during the 2016 election, seeking information about stolen Democratic emails. When called before Congress, Stone lied about his contacts and then threatened a witness to prevent him from contradicting his testimony.

The sentencing became a flashpoint when the Justice Department intervened to reduce its recommended sentence after Trump criticized it on Twitter, leading four prosecutors to withdraw in protest. Stone never served prison time—Trump commuted his sentence just days before he was to report, and later granted a full pardon.

Background

Early Life

Roger Jason Stone was born on August 27, 1952, in Norwalk, Connecticut. He grew up in the community of Vista, part of the town of Lewisboro, New York, on the Connecticut border. He has described his family as middle-class, blue-collar Catholics, with Hungarian and Italian ancestry.

Early Political Involvement

Stone has said that he developed an interest in political mischief at an early age. He claimed that during the 1960 presidential election, as an elementary school student, he told other children in the cafeteria line that Richard Nixon favored school on Saturdays—his "first political trick."

Nixon Campaign

Stone's formal political career began with the Nixon administration. As a student at George Washington University in 1972, Stone invited Jeb Stuart Magruder to speak at a Young Republicans Club meeting, then asked Magruder for a job with Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President (known as CREEP).

Stone left college to work for the committee. He contributed money to a potential Nixon rival in the name of the Young Socialist Alliance, designed to embarrass the rival. He also helped hire operatives to infiltrate the campaigns of Democratic candidates such as Edmund Muskie and Hubert Humphrey during the 1972 primaries.

Stone was just 19 when he became involved in what would become the Watergate scandal, though his role was minor compared to the central figures.

The Nixon Tattoo

In 2007, Stone had Richard Nixon's face tattooed on his back. He explained the tattoo as "a reminder that in life when you get knocked down, you have to get up and keep fighting." He has said: "The reason I'm a Nixonite is because of his indestructibility and resilience."

Political Career

Campaigns

Stone worked on numerous Republican presidential campaigns over the decades:

• Richard Nixon (1972)
• Ronald Reagan (1976, 1980)
• Jack Kemp
• Bob Dole (1996)
• George W. Bush (2000)
• Donald Trump (2016)

Lobbying Firm

In the 1980s, Stone co-founded a lobbying firm with Paul Manafort and Charles R. Black Jr. The firm, which became Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly (BMSK), was a powerhouse in Washington during the Reagan era. The firm represented numerous foreign governments and corporate clients.

Relationship with Donald Trump

Stone first met Donald Trump in 1979 through attorney Roy M. Cohn. The two forged an enduring political relationship. Stone encouraged Trump to run for president as early as 1988 and has been described as Trump's longest-serving political advisor.

Stone formally advised Trump's 2016 campaign before officially departing in August 2015, though the nature and extent of his continued involvement became a subject of the Mueller investigation.

Documentary

The 2017 Netflix documentary "Get Me Roger Stone" chronicled Stone's life, career, and political philosophy.

Mueller Investigation

Background

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation examined Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential coordination with the Trump campaign. One focus was the release by WikiLeaks of emails stolen by Russian hackers from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

Stone's Role

According to trial testimony and evidence, Stone became the Trump campaign's informal point person on WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign. He sought information about what WikiLeaks had and when it would be released.

At Stone's trial, former Trump deputy campaign manager Rick Gates testified that he was with Trump when Trump received a phone call from Stone about the planned release of hacked Democratic emails. Gates testified that after the call, Trump said "more information would be coming."

Congressional Testimony

On September 26, 2017, Stone testified before the House Intelligence Committee about his contacts during the 2016 campaign. He made numerous false statements, including lies about the identity of his "back-channel" to WikiLeaks.

In an October 2017 letter, Stone falsely told the Committee that his intermediary was radio host Randy Credico.

Witness Tampering

Stone then attempted to prevent Credico from contradicting his testimony. Stone urged Credico to either:

• Corroborate Stone's false account
• Tell the Committee he could not remember the relevant events
• Invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination

Stone's messages to Credico included threats. He referred to Credico as a "rat" and a "stoolie" and told him to "prepare to die."

Indictment and Trial

Arrest

On January 25, 2019, FBI agents arrested Stone at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in an early-morning raid. He was charged with seven counts:

• One count of obstruction of an official proceeding
• Five counts of making false statements
• One count of witness tampering

Trial

Stone's trial began in November 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Amy Berman Jackson.

Conviction

On November 15, 2019, after a week-long trial and two days of deliberations, the jury found Stone guilty on all seven counts. He was the sixth Trump aide or advisor to be convicted in connection with the Mueller investigation.

Sentencing Controversy

Initial Recommendation

On February 10, 2020, Justice Department prosecutors filed a sentencing memorandum recommending a sentence of 87 to 108 months (roughly 7 to 9 years) in prison.

Trump's Intervention

Shortly after the recommendation became public, President Trump criticized it on Twitter, calling it a "miscarriage of justice."

Revised Recommendation

The following day, the Justice Department filed a revised sentencing memorandum that did not recommend a specific sentence, leaving the decision to the judge. This extraordinary reversal prompted four prosecutors to withdraw from the case, with one resigning from the Justice Department entirely.

The intervention was widely criticized as political interference in the justice system.

Sentence

On February 20, 2020, Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Stone to:

• 40 months in federal prison
• A $20,000 fine

Judge Jackson said at sentencing: "He was not prosecuted, as some have complained, for standing up for the President. He was prosecuted for covering up for the President."

Stone was allowed to remain free pending resolution of post-trial motions.

Clemency

Commutation

On July 10, 2020—just four days before Stone was scheduled to report to prison—President Trump commuted his sentence.

The White House statement said: "Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency."

The commutation erased Stone's prison sentence but left his conviction intact.

Reactions

Senator Mitt Romney called the commutation "[u]nprecedented, historic corruption." Democrats accused Trump of using his pardon power to reward loyalty and obstruct justice.

Full Pardon

On December 23, 2020, President Trump granted Stone a full pardon, erasing the conviction entirely.

Stone later met with Trump in person to thank him for the pardon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Roger Stone do?

Stone was convicted on seven counts: obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of making false statements to Congress, and witness tampering. The charges related to his role as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks during the 2016 election, his lies to Congress about those activities, and his threats to a witness.

Q: Was Roger Stone pardoned?

Yes, Stone received clemency twice from President Trump. On July 10, 2020, days before Stone was due to begin his 40-month prison sentence, Trump commuted his sentence. On December 23, 2020, Trump granted a full pardon. The White House called Stone a "victim of the Russia Hoax."

Q: What was Roger Stone's sentence?

Stone was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and a $20,000 fine on February 20, 2020. The sentencing became controversial when the Justice Department reduced its recommendation after Trump criticized it on Twitter, leading four prosecutors to withdraw from the case. Stone never served prison time due to Trump's commutation.

Q: Who is Roger Stone?

Stone is a Republican political consultant and lobbyist who has worked on campaigns from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump. Known for his aggressive tactics, he has a tattoo of Nixon's face on his back. He co-founded a lobbying firm with Paul Manafort and has been Trump's longest-serving political advisor since they met in 1979.

Q: What was Roger Stone's connection to WikiLeaks?

Prosecutors established that Stone served as an informal point person between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks regarding hacked Democratic emails. Testimony showed Stone spoke with Trump about upcoming WikiLeaks releases. Stone lied to Congress about these contacts and threatened a witness who could have exposed his lies.

See also

• Presidential Clemency and Pardons