Jump to content

Judge tightens gag order on ex-Trump adviser Stone, warning he could be sent to jail


Recommended Posts

Posted

Judge tightens gag order on ex-Trump adviser Stone, warning he could be sent to jail

By Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball

 

2019-02-21T202608Z_1_LYNXNPEF1K1T7_RTROPTP_4_USA-TRUMP-RUSSIA-STONE.JPG

FILE PHOTO: Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone gives an interview to Reuters in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A visibly angry judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump's former political adviser Roger Stone to stop speaking publicly about U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's criminal case against him or else he will be sent to jail pending trial.

 

In a tense court hearing on Thursday, U.S. Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said that Stone's apology and explanations for why he posted a photo of her next to the image of the crosshairs of a gun on his Instagram account were not credible.

 

"Thank you, but the apology rings quite hollow," she told Stone.

 

"What all of this means, Mr. Stone, is that any violation of this order will be a basis for revoking your bond and detaining you pending trial. So I want to be clear - today I gave you a second chance. But this is not baseball. There will not be a third chance."

 

Stone has pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering as part of Mueller’s investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Mueller is also investigating possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow officials.

 

Trump denies collusion and Russia denies U.S. allegations it interfered to undermine the American democratic process.

 

Jackson ordered Stone to appear in court after he posted an image on his Instagram account earlier this week with the crosshairs image next to her photo and a message that railed against both Mueller and the judge.

 

The image appeared just days after Jackson had imposed a narrow media gag order in the case.

 

Stone later took the image down and apologised, but afterwards he gave an interview on conspiracy website Infowars defending the post.

 

At Thursday's hearing, Stone took the stand and pleaded with Jackson to accept his apology.

 

"I abused the order," Stone said. "I am kicking myself over my own stupidity."

 

Lawyers for Stone declined comment as they left the courthouse.

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball; additional reporting by Makini Brice; Writing by Tim Ahmann; editing by Grant McCool)

 

 

reuters_logo.jpg

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-22
Posted

Somebody needs to teach the judge how baseball works. That is the dumbest analogy I have heard lately. If it was baseball it would be strike two and he would be able to swing again. She is right though this is not baseball.

  • Haha 2
Posted

Good now that clown has to keep his yap shut now there is a real swamp critter a real bottom dweller now shut the .... up and let the law take its course

  • Thanks 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

Somebody needs to teach the judge how baseball works. That is the dumbest analogy I have heard lately. If it was baseball it would be strike two and he would be able to swing again. She is right though this is not baseball.

This game of baseball is being played by Trump rules. You know the Trump rules, don't you?

Maybe not. Here it is from the Trump playbook. "You play ball with me and I'll stick the bat up your ass".

That's why everybody who has had anything to do with Trump now regrets it, many are ruined, many are going to be going to jail.

Play ball !

  • Haha 1
Posted

I would like to know who is supposed to be running the country whilst this political ping pong is going on. Sick of hearing about it. Same as Brexit. Sick of that as well. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Posted

The indictments against Stone are stunning.

 

They speak to his conspiracy and cooperation with Russian intelligence, Gucifer-2, Wikileaks and the Trump Campaign, seeking, obtaining and the coordinated release of emails and data stolen by Russian intelligence.

 

Illiberals get your denial glasses, the truth will (despite Individual-1’s best efforts) out.

  • Haha 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Snow Leopard said:

I would like to know who is supposed to be running the country whilst this political ping pong is going on. Sick of hearing about it. Same as Brexit. Sick of that as well. 

Well you’ve said you’d like to know but you don’t seem to want to find out.

 

Odd that.

Posted

An example of the people advising Trump. Crosshairs? This is threatening behaviour. If a John Doe did this he would be arrested for terrorism.

  • Like 1
Posted
6 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Somebody needs to teach the judge how baseball works. That is the dumbest analogy I have heard lately. If it was baseball it would be strike two and he would be able to swing again. She is right though this is not baseball.

 

Isn't that exactly the point she was making?

Posted
14 hours ago, webfact said:

Lawyers for Stone declined comment as they left the courthouse.

They may have muttered to themselves, "stupidity or not, we get paid all the same."

  • Like 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...