Roger Stone found guilty

On seven counts:

1) Obstruction 

2-6) False statements 

7) Witness tampering

WASHINGTON — Roger J. Stone Jr., a former aide and longtime friend of President Trump, was found guilty on Friday of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election in what prosecutors said was an effort to protect Mr. Trump.

Mr. Stone, 67, was charged with lying to the House Intelligence Committee, trying to block the testimony of another potential witness and concealing reams of evidence from investigators. Prosecutors claimed he tried to thwart the committee’s work because the truth would have “looked terrible” for both the president and his campaign. In all, he faced seven felony charges and was found guilty on all counts.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/us/politics/roger-stone-trial-guilty.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage


Wow that was fast. How long were jury deliberations? 2 minutes?


drummerboy said:

Wow that was fast. How long were jury deliberations? 2 minutes?

Seven hours over two days.  


mrincredible said:

Pardon?

 Jeffrey Toobin doesn't think Trump will pardon Stone until Trump is a lame duck. 

"President Trump has also hinted that he will consider pardons for all of his associates who have been convicted or pleaded guilty as a result of the Russia investigation. This includes Paul Manafort, Trump’s onetime campaign chairman (and Stone’s onetime business partner). But Stone, as a veteran of Trump’s world, knows that loyalty is a one-way street for the President: Trump expects it but does not provide it. A pardon might impose a political cost on Trump, and he almost certainly won’t be willing to pay it, at least until he’s a lame duck. It’s a lonely feeling to be convicted by a jury, and Stone is likely to remain on his own—as least as far as the President is concerned—for the foreseeable future."

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/roger-stones-crimes



cramer said:

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/roger-stones-crimes


 Okay.

When had ANYTHING Trump done exacted a political cost? He's got the Republican party standing shoulder-to-shoulder forming a wall between him and accountability. His support holds steady and he's still got a big chance of reelection due to the vagaries of the electoral college. 

He doesn't care if 10 million more New Yorkers and Californians show up to vote against him.

I don't know anything about Jeffrey Tobin but I'm questioning his perception.


Thanks. I corrected the misspelling. 


Sorry if I seem irrational I'm just feeling very pessimistic about the state of things right now.

The other thing about our president is if he wanted to pardon Stone he would just do it. His entire administration could tell him not to and he would just ignore them all and do it. Maybe more people would resign and he'd just appoint more cronies as Acting so-and-so.


Well, this is an interesting turn. Has Toobin chimed in again?

Is leaning on Barr for a lighter sentence just as bad as an outright pardon? Would Trump bother with meddling with the Justice department if he was planning a pardon?


I think Stone was always expecting a pardon.  And trump’s meddling is an attempt to normalize the it.


jamie said:

I think Stone was always expecting a pardon.  And trump’s meddling is an attempt to normalize the it.

That makes sense. Lay the groundwork now and then pardon him in the fall after the election one way or another. I'm sure at the very least it delays the process.

He hasn't been sentenced at this point, right? So he hasn't been in jail yet and might never be if they can obfuscate long enough for a risk-free pardon.


Okay the sentencing will be Thursday. If she gives him the 7-9 year sentence that the DOJ prosecutors recommended I expect a tweetstorm attacking her and possibly inciting violence against her.

I'll amend that. If she sentences Stone to ANY jail time it will lead to retaliatory rhetoric from the tweeter-in-chief. Maybe a call for her impeachment. 


Stone just got sentenced to 40 months, or just over 3 years, in prison.


ridski said:

Stone just got sentenced to 40 months, or just over 3 years, in prison.

 Only thing I can think of is that judge (supposedly a badass) gave light sentence to discourage Trump from pardoning. A stretch?


hmm, Trump will pardon him - no matter what the sentence is.  The question is - when will the pardon happen?

When would Stone have to report to prison?  The judge is reviewing a motion that claims juror misconduct.



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