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

By Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball

 

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)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-22

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.

Silly boy playing with fire while sitting on a powder keg, he is likely to get more than just burnt...

Unbelievably stupid thing to do.

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

A clear case of self betrayal. 

2 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

A clear case of self betrayal. 

A clear case of contempt for the law, legal process and institutions and thinking you are above the law. Just like his pal, Trump.

25 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Unbelievably stupid thing to do.

Why, he got away with it.

2 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.

So you don't understand the analogy made.

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.

Strike 1 The initial approval of bail

Strike 2 The lenient decision not to rescind bail after Stone posted a death threat.

 

I can see that you have constructed a post to denigrate and insult the judge without seeming to do it directly. You, like the Trump cabal, take every opportunity to undermine the very institutions that hold together a successful thriving democracy. Please compare American courts to Russian courts or, Allah forbid, a Saudi court and then you will truly see injustice.

The prosecutors did not object to him remaining out on bail.

 

They know that Stone, like his pal Manafort, just can’t help himself.

 

He’ll further incriminate himself.

 

 

He’s toast.

Just now, stevenl said:

So you don't understand the analogy made.

More importantly, he doesn't understand the serious as a heart attack implications of having a federal judge find you in contempt. That judge exercised more restraint than most federal judges would have done.

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 !

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. 

Just now, 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. 

What ping pong?  Now you are just confusing me; we were on baseball a few minute ago!

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.

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.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"I am kicking myself over my own stupidity."

Really? Where are the bruises?

I'm pretty sure the first amendment and others totally support the government interfering with you being innocent.

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

Why oh why does Trump surround himself with such slimeballs?  Birds of a feather....

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?

Some troll posts have been removed. 

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."