'Straight up lied': Prosecutors say adviser Stone fibbed to protect Trump

By Sarah N. Lynch

 

Roger Stone, former campaign adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives for his criminal trial on charges of lying to Congress, obstructing justice and witness tampering at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., November 6, 2019. REUTERS/ Tom Brenner

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors pulled back the curtain on Roger Stone's private dealings with President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign on Wednesday, portraying the president's longtime adviser as a liar who misled Congress about his outreach efforts to the WikiLeaks website to protect Trump from looking bad.

 

Prosecution and defense lawyers delivered opening statements to the 12-member jury in federal court in Washington, painting dramatically different portraits of the 67-year-old Republican political operative who has been a friend and ally of Trump for four decades.

 

Stone "straight up lied" to Congress, prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky told the jury, which was selected earlier in the day. Defense lawyer Bruce Rogow countered that Stone never "willfully and intentionally" misled lawmakers.

 

Stone - a self-described "dirty trickster" and "agent provocateur" - has pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing justice, witness tampering and lying to the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in its investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election.

 

"Now you'll ask, why didn't Roger Stone just tell the truth?" Zelinsky asked the jurors. "The evidence in this case will show that Roger Stone lied to the House Intelligence Committee because the truth looked bad. The truth looked bad for the Trump campaign, and the truth looked bad for Donald Trump."

 

In the months leading up to the election, WikiLeaks disclosed numerous emails - stolen from Democrats by Russian state-backed hackers, according to U.S. intelligence agencies and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller - that proved embarrassing to Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

 

The first witness called by prosecutors was a former FBI agent who presented evidence that Stone was in frequent contact with top Trump campaign officials including strategist Steve Bannon and chairman Paul Manafort about when WikiLeaks might release more emails damaging the Clinton.

 

Prosecutors noted that Stone, in sworn testimony to the Intelligence Committee, denied that these communications ever occurred.

 

Stone placed several calls to then-candidate Trump that were timed around significant developments concerning WikiLeaks, though prosecutors acknowledged they do know the content of those calls.

 

The Democratic-led Intelligence Committee is currently spearheading the House impeachment inquiry against Trump over his July request that Ukraine investigate a Democratic rival, Joe Biden.

 

Zelinsky said the prosecution's case rests on five false statements Stone made to the committee related to WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.

 

In addition to lying about his communications with Trump campaign figures, Zelinsky said Stone made multiple other false statements including claiming a radio host named Randy Credico was his only intermediary with WikiLeaks when in fact he had a second source in conservative author Jerome Corsi.

 

In one July 2016 email shown to jurors, Stone told Corsi "get to Assange!" in London and "get the pending WikiLeaks emails."

 

'THE GODFATHER PART II'

Stone, according to the prosecution, later tried to tamper with Credico's testimony and urged him to "do a 'Frank Pentangeli'" - a reference to a character in the film "The Godfather Part II" who recants his testimony to Congress about a mobster amid witness intimidation.

 

Credico is due to testify later in the trial, which could run at least two weeks.

 

The defense urged jurors to consider Stone's state of mind at the time he was speaking to the Intelligence Committee. Rogow read from a letter Stone's lawyers received from the committee that said the interview would cover topics including Russian cyber activities and potential leaks between Moscow and political campaign officials.

 

"There's no mention of WikiLeaks. There's no mention of Assange," Rogow said.

 

Rogow also disputed the notion that Stone ever had any intermediary with Assange, saying Credico was trying to pump himself up and make himself a "bigger man" than he truly was.

 

"There was no intermediary. There was no go-between. Mr. Corsi was not an intermediary. These people were playing Mr. Stone. ... It's made-up stuff," Rogow said.

 

Zelinsky said that if one is looking for someone to "pin something on, Randy Credico is a pretty good person to pick," noting for example his past struggles with alcohol.

 

Zelinsky said Stone lied in sworn testimony to Representative Adam Schiff, now chairman of the Intelligence Committee, about emails to third parties related to Assange.

 

"He said he had no emails of any kind referring to Julian Assange," Zelinsky said.

 

Stone actually had "many, many such emails" including a message from Corsi saying more damaging email dumps were coming, Zelinsky added.

 

The prosecution said jurors will hear in the coming days from Bannon and former deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates, who last year testified against former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

 

The charges against Stone, which could lead to a decades-long prison sentence, stem from Mueller's investigation, which ended in March. Mueller's investigation, which documented Russian efforts to boost Trump's candidacy through a campaign of hacking and propaganda, led to criminal charges against several Trump advisers and campaign aides.

 

Stone and his former business partner Manafort were the only two not to plead guilty. Manafort was convicted and sentenced to 7-1/2 years in prison.

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-07

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Rogers' weave looks more convincing than the case against Trump. The more you read, the more convoluted and confusing it all seems. The only real corruption I still see is the Biden - son of a bleep he got fired - epic video. Other than that...?

There's that word again, obstructing. Everyone is always obstructing, something, nothing, who knows? But what was the crime? Oh, obstructing, OK. What or who did he obstruct and why? Must have been congress. With an approval rating in the teens most everyone in the country would obstruct congress.  Democrats and Republicans alike.

"Straight up lying", is the way of the world...does not make it right...we must learn how to deal with lying on an everyday basis...

 

Folks connected to legal proceedings and politics are becoming enriched by telling the most believable lies...

 

If you happen across someone with integrity in today's world...hold on to them as you would a rare treasure...????

The "coup" continues on it's rickety track.  

 

I'm surprised they didn't charge Roger Stone with murdering Epstein.  

12 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

The "coup" continues on it's rickety track.  

 

I'm surprised they didn't charge Roger Stone with murdering Epstein.  

He didn't do that, so won't be charged for it.

Obstruction on the other hand seems very obvious.

 

Straight up lied? Some say he downright lied. Stone better stay on top down in Washington or get left out, right?

 

check out he doc on him on netflix, wow what scummy scummy scumbag.

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Rogers' weave looks more convincing than the case against Trump. The more you read, the more convoluted and confusing it all seems. The only real corruption I still see is the Biden - son of a bleep he got fired - epic video. Other than that...?

 Other than that, it's just more of the same old Witch Hunt BS we've been subjected to for years now... 

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Rogers' weave looks more convincing than the case against Trump. The more you read, the more convoluted and confusing it all seems. The only real corruption I still see is the Biden - son of a bleep he got fired - epic video. Other than that...?

Well as you admit it all seems a little too convoluted and confusing for you.

 

 

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

He didn't do that, so won't be charged for it.

Obstruction on the other hand seems very obvious.

How do you know he didn't do one, but he obviously did the other. 

 

Try being consistent. 

He’s going to come to regret having that ‘Tricky Dicky’ Tattoo He has on his back.

 

It’ll almost certainly spice things up a bit for some lucky chap.

 

 

6 hours ago, rabas said:

There's that word again, obstructing. Everyone is always obstructing, something, nothing, who knows? But what was the crime? Oh, obstructing, OK. What or who did he obstruct and why? Must have been congress. With an approval rating in the teens most everyone in the country would obstruct congress.  Democrats and Republicans alike.

Why would anyone voluntarily talk to Congress?  Why does anyone voluntarily talk to police or FBI?  Foolish people should learn to shut up.

Just now, 4675636b596f75 said:

Why would anyone voluntarily talk to Congress?  Why does anyone voluntarily talk to police or FBI?  Foolish people should learn to shut up.

Many millions of foolish people where this story comes from.

Quote

'Straight up lied': Prosecutors say adviser Stone fibbed to protect Trump

 

Just imitating his hero... He must have learned from the BEST!

 

 

1 minute ago, legend49 said:

Many millions of foolish people where this story comes from.

It's a perjury trap, that's all the scumbags like Adam Schiff are interested in, so why indulge them.

You cannot lie to Congress if you don't talk to them.  You can't lie to cop if you don't talk. 

 

Shut up!

 

 

 

 

 

17 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

It's a perjury trap, that's all the scumbags like Adam Schiff are interested in, so why indulge them.

You cannot lie to Congress if you don't talk to them.  You can't lie to cop if you don't talk. 

 

Shut up!

 

 

 

 

 

There is no such thing as a Perjury trap.

 

Tell the truth under oath and you can’t be prosecuted for perjury.

 

Get caught lying and you handed yourself over, nobody sets a trap.

20 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There is no such thing as a Perjury trap.

 

Tell the truth under oath and you can’t be prosecuted for perjury.

 

Get caught lying and you handed yourself over, nobody sets a trap.

Better catch up on General Flynn.  Lots of antics going on there.  Judge will probably toss the entire case.  FBI "lost" original 302.  District Attorney hid exculpatory evidence.  That's a perjury trap.

 

Tell me all about the coup, how is it going?

How did CNN know that Stone was to be arrested before dawn on that particular day??????

 

The noble FBI, rifles loaded and pointing, woke up a senior citizen and his wife.  

 

I grew up in the McCarthy era and thought that, by now, we were long past the thuggery of that era.  But no, instead of reds under the bed and a rooting out of the "commies", we have Russssssssiiiaaaaa Collusion, which, as we know from Mueller, existed only in the minds of the corrupt Democrats.

 

 

6 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

"Straight up lying", is the way of the world...does not make it right...we must learn how to deal with lying on an everyday basis...

 

Folks connected to legal proceedings and politics are becoming enriched by telling the most believable lies...

 

If you happen across someone with integrity in today's world...hold on to them as you would a rare treasure...????

I can't tell whether you're lying or not.

31 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Better catch up on General Flynn.  Lots of antics going on there.  Judge will probably toss the entire case.  FBI "lost" original 302.  District Attorney hid exculpatory evidence.  That's a perjury trap.

 

Tell me all about the coup, how is it going?

Having a good trolling day? Believe me when I tell you it does come across as utterly lame.

1 minute ago, Becker said:

Having a good trolling day? Believe me when I tell you it does come across as utterly lame.

Believe me when I invite you to my ignore list.  Bye Becker.

1 hour ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

How do you know he didn't do one, but he obviously did the other. 

 

Try being consistent. 

It really is very easy. He has been charged with one crime, not with the other. So obviously he did not commit, or they can't prove, the other, but think they can prove the one crime.

 

Nothing to do with consistency, only with crimes committed.

Steve Brannon is appearing for the prosecution:

 

https://theweek.com/speedreads/876968/steve-bannon-testify-against-roger-stone-prosecutors-reveal

55 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

Believe me when I invite you to my ignore list.  Bye Becker.

I'm devastated!!!

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Stone "straight up lied" to Congress, prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky told the jury, which was selected earlier in the day. Defense lawyer Bruce Rogow countered that Stone never "willfully and intentionally" misled lawmakers.

and this is a surprise ???? he worked with/for Trump, birds of the feather flick together

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

It really is very easy. He has been charged with one crime, not with the other. So obviously he did not commit, or they can't prove, the other, but think they can prove the one crime.

 

Nothing to do with consistency, only with crimes committed.

What did he lie about?

Yeah sure Roger Stone is guilty.  That's why the corrupt FBI had CNN at Stone's house all set up before the entry team arrived, even with the top FBI guy there making sure CNN got the bust of the century.  CNN said it was there keen instincts that had them there at the right moment. Yeah ok, CNN...

 

Stone will beat these phony made up lies by the deep state....just like Gen. Flynn is doing right now.

 

I can't wait for the all of the truths to become public.  The deep state swamp is being exposed slowly and systematically.  Sedition, treason and much worse will be exposed, and so many will have a very hard time handling the truths that are coming...

23 minutes ago, JMSIII said:

I can't wait for the all of the truths to become public.  The deep state swamp is being exposed slowly and systematically.  Sedition, treason and much worse will be exposed, and so many will have a very hard time handling the truths that are coming...

The cretins here will not believe the truth. They only hope.  If I found out that Trump did something patently illegal, I wouldn't have a problem going after him for it.  But the lefties will support anything so long as it fits their dogma and hope.  Bill Clinton likely raped a few women but they ignore that and tell you to only pay attention to locker room talk from Trump.  Talk is worse than rape so long as it is the opposition talking.  

 

I am sure that these people are mentally ill.  They surely have no moral compass nor do play fair.  For them, all is ok so long as the objective is met.

 

These people deserve more pity than scorn.

9 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

The cretins here will not believe the truth. They only hope.  If I found out that Trump did something patently illegal, I wouldn't have a problem going after him for it.  But the lefties will support anything so long as it fits their dogma and hope.  Bill Clinton likely raped a few women but they ignore that and tell you to only pay attention to locker room talk from Trump.  Talk is worse than rape so long as it is the opposition talking.  

 

I am sure that these people are mentally ill.  They surely have no moral compass nor do play fair.  For them, all is ok so long as the objective is met.

 

These people deserve more pity than scorn.

Don't like Bill Clinton either, I think both him and trump should be cell mates so they can bang each other. 

 

" If I found out that Trump did something patently illegal, I wouldn't have a problem going after him for it "

Though ,I guess you must must apply different definitions of what is considered wrong to trump than you do to Clinton