Today’s installment of the Roger Stone trial kicked off with a dry walkthrough of House and committee rules.
Then, ex-FBI agent Taylor asked about this email from Credico to Stone — telling Stone, as the congressional investigations gear up, that his story is false.
Then, ex-FBI agent Taylor asked about this email from Credico to Stone — telling Stone, as the congressional investigations gear up, that his story is false.
We're hearing audio of Stone's House Intel testimony.
Stone says: “These hearings are largely based on yet unproven allegation that the Russian state was responsible for the hacking of the DNC and John Podesta and the transfer of" info to WikiLeaks.
Stone says: “These hearings are largely based on yet unproven allegation that the Russian state was responsible for the hacking of the DNC and John Podesta and the transfer of" info to WikiLeaks.
That's important because Rogow argued yesterday that Stone understood the investigation to be just about Russia, which is why he didn't produce WikiLeaks docs.
Above is a quote during his testimony saying he knows it's about hacking of DNC/Podesta and WikiLeaks.
Above is a quote during his testimony saying he knows it's about hacking of DNC/Podesta and WikiLeaks.
They just discussed how Stone testified he had just one intermediary with Assange, a journalist. Named him a few weeks later in letter as Credico.
Now, audio being played of Stone repeatedly denying to HPSCI he has any documents, emails, tweets, texts in scope of investigation
Now, audio being played of Stone repeatedly denying to HPSCI he has any documents, emails, tweets, texts in scope of investigation
Now displaying a chart showing hundreds of written communications between Stone and Credico between June 2016-Sept 2017.
Includes texts, Twitter DMs, Facebook DMs, Signal, email
(Stone testified he only communicated with his intermediary over the phone, he's "not an email guy")
Includes texts, Twitter DMs, Facebook DMs, Signal, email
(Stone testified he only communicated with his intermediary over the phone, he's "not an email guy")
Yup, this is exactly what they're trying to do:
Chart now up of "Telephonic Communications: Roger Stone and [Trump] Campaign Associates" (specifically,
Gates, Bannon, Manafort, Prince, and Trump)
Gates, Bannon, Manafort, Prince, and Trump)
Prosecutors reveal an apparent effort by Stone to fool Credico about what he told the committee.
Stone sent a letter to HPSCI naming Credico as his source. He sent supposedly the same letter to Credico, but it was in fact rather different.
Stone sent a letter to HPSCI naming Credico as his source. He sent supposedly the same letter to Credico, but it was in fact rather different.
For instance, in the version of the letter sent to Credico, Stone said that calling him an intermediary was “a bit of salesmanship for my Infowars audience."
That language was not in the version sent to House Intel.
That language was not in the version sent to House Intel.
What prosecutors are driving at: Stone told House Intel that Credico was his intermediary to WikiLeaks.
Then, with this letter, Stone told Credico (falsely), I told them you weren't a real intermediary, don't worry.
And if you get subpoenaed, just take the Fifth.
Then, with this letter, Stone told Credico (falsely), I told them you weren't a real intermediary, don't worry.
And if you get subpoenaed, just take the Fifth.
We have arrived at the long-awaited Godfather Part II/ Frank Pentangeli discussion. Ex-FBI agent Michelle Taylor described the movie and what happened in the scene when Pentangeli testified. (Prosecutors not allowed to play the clip.) Taylor said she'd watched it "recently"
Also showing how Corsi (whose involvement prosecutors say Stone is covering up) was in touch with Stone while he was trying to pin things on Credico.
This email, in which Corsi correctly opines that Stone is saying too much and may get himself in trouble, is discussed.
This email, in which Corsi correctly opines that Stone is saying too much and may get himself in trouble, is discussed.
They've spent several minutes having Taylor read the many, many angry messages exchanged btw Stone and Credico about Credico's testimony.
"You want me to cover you for perjury now," Credico complained.
(There are a zillion others, too many to type quickly)
"You want me to cover you for perjury now," Credico complained.
(There are a zillion others, too many to type quickly)
Summing up: Taylor says that around this time, Stone told Credico to plead the 5th seven times, mentioned Pentangeli twice, and told Credico not to speak to federal law enforcement 3 times.
Spring 2018 email, from Credico to Stone
Subj: “Stone perjury”
“Tomorrow 6pm msnbc. Racist drug addict roger stone time in barrel on melber… explosive!”
Subj: “Stone perjury”
“Tomorrow 6pm msnbc. Racist drug addict roger stone time in barrel on melber… explosive!”
They're now reading from this article from Stone's website, where he trashed Credico for taking the Fifth before Congress (something Stone had repeatedly told him to do) stonecoldtruth.com/randy-me-truth…
Roger Stone email to Credico early 2018: “Thanks to that asshole Nunberg, Mueller will be up my ass”
Credico insisting to Stone via email 4/07/2018: "You had nothing to do on any level with Assange as much as you [threw] Hail Marys to guccifer and WikiLeaks and you know it" Urges him to tell the truth
Stone answers: "Why does your breath smell of Ari Melber’s cock?"
Stone answers: "Why does your breath smell of Ari Melber’s cock?"
To take a step back a bit: Credico is clearly convinced at this point that Stone's cover-up is just because he's afraid of it being revealed that he has no real WikiLeaks source.
Other evidence, though, suggests Stone's cover-up is actually designed to hide what Corsi told him
Other evidence, though, suggests Stone's cover-up is actually designed to hide what Corsi told him
Prosecutors earlier introduced an email from Stone's lawyer Grant Smith to both Stone & Corsi, 4/03/18.
"Gents - At Roger's request, I attach the only 2 emails on the subject between the two of you."
He attaches these 2 emails (a and b), but *not* Corsi's response (c)
"Gents - At Roger's request, I attach the only 2 emails on the subject between the two of you."
He attaches these 2 emails (a and b), but *not* Corsi's response (c)
Kravis did not explain what he was implying here. But, to me, the implication is that, at that point, Stone and Corsi believed their more incriminating emails re: WL had been wiped away. And this was intended to memorialize that.
No sign it will. Prosecutors theory of Corsi is: He was Stone's first intermediary with WikiLeaks, and Stone lied/obstructed to cover that up.
They don't seem to want to get into what Corsi actually knew and how he knew it. (The defense might, though)
They don't seem to want to get into what Corsi actually knew and how he knew it. (The defense might, though)
One other tidbit from this morning: Michelle Taylor testified that there was a period of Stone's text messages that investigators were unable to recover. They know the number and recipients of those messages, but not the content.
So despite all the evidence here, there is a gap
So despite all the evidence here, there is a gap
She did, but I unfortunately didn't get the dates down exactly. Will keep an ear out if it's mentioned again
We are back from lunch. It is time for Stone's lawyers to cross-examine Michelle Taylor, the ex-FBI agent who talked through most of the documentary evidence
Rogow begins by asking Taylor about the phone records prosecutors used to describe Stone's phone calls with Trump on the night of June 14. (Though avoids Trump's name)
Asks if she knows what was said on the calls, she says no
Asks if she knows what was said on the calls, she says no
Rogow quotes Stone's "Get to Assange" email to Corsi.
Rogow: “Do you know whether or not Mr. Corsi got to Assange?”
Taylor: “ I do not.”
Rogow: “Do you know whether or not Mr. Corsi got to Assange?”
Taylor: “ I do not.”
Rogow: Do you know that Mr. Corsi wrote a book that Hitler didn't—
Prosecutor: Objection!
(Corsi wrote a book saying Hitler secretly survived the end of WWII.)
Prosecutor: Objection!
(Corsi wrote a book saying Hitler secretly survived the end of WWII.)
ABJ evidently ruled the Corsi Hitler book question out of order, because Rogow moves on.
Asks about one of Stone's emails to Manafort. "Was there anything illegal—" ABJ interrupts again, says witness can't give a legal opinion
Asks about one of Stone's emails to Manafort. "Was there anything illegal—" ABJ interrupts again, says witness can't give a legal opinion
Rogow asks about Stone's "Malloch should see Assange" email. "Do you know if Malloch saw Mr. Assange?"
Taylor: "I do not know."
Taylor: "I do not know."
Rogow asking about Stone's messages with Rebekah Mercer and Erik Prince in early Oct 2016.
Asks whether Prince was working for the Trump campaign, Taylor says no
Asks whether Prince was working for the Trump campaign, Taylor says no
It was Exhibit #31, I believe (a 10/3/16 email), but Rogow is not having the exhibits displayed so we can't see what it actually says.
Rogow now having Taylor read through portions of Stone's House Intel transcript that he thinks can be used to argue that Stone interpreted their request for documents as just about Russia (not WikiLeaks)
We are seeing the problems with defending someone against five separate false statements charges.
Rogow needs to make the time to debunk all 5. But they're on different subtopics: documents, the intermediary, requests to WL, mode of communication, Trump campaign contacts
Rogow needs to make the time to debunk all 5. But they're on different subtopics: documents, the intermediary, requests to WL, mode of communication, Trump campaign contacts
Returning to this — Taylor confirms to Kravis that the time period for which law enforcement failed to get the content of Stone's texts is mid-November 2016 to mid-November 2017
With jury out for a break, ABJ chides Rogow for his slow-as-molasses cross.
“Not every lawyer has to be as caffeinated as Mr. Kravis, but the pacing of the cross was extremely slow. And I think it tested the patience of the jurors a great deal.”
“Not every lawyer has to be as caffeinated as Mr. Kravis, but the pacing of the cross was extremely slow. And I think it tested the patience of the jurors a great deal.”
We're moving on to the next witness: Mr. Randy Credico.
Credico is sworn in. No dog to be seen, at least on the media room's camera coverage.
To prosecutors' first question: "What do you do for work?" Credico responds with a joke: "It seems like I'm a professional witness!"
You couldn't make for a greater contrast with the previous witness's yes or no answers. Asked if he knows Roger Stone, Credico launches into a rambling story of how they met going back to 2002
Credico testifies that he never discussed Wikileaks or Assange with Roger Stone, through early August 2016, and had no communication with Assange before then.
Making the government's point that he couldn't be the initial intermediary Stone spoke of
Making the government's point that he couldn't be the initial intermediary Stone spoke of
Credico says he initially told Stone he was having Assange on his show because he wanted to "one-up him." (He had previously seen video of Stone claiming to have his own connection with Assange.)
Credico asked to define an October surprise.
“An October surprise is somethin’ that comes out just before the election that no one’s expecting to happen, that kinda undermines the candidate.. I think Reagan did it to Jimmy Carter, it was an October Surprise 1980 to do with Iran”
“An October surprise is somethin’ that comes out just before the election that no one’s expecting to happen, that kinda undermines the candidate.. I think Reagan did it to Jimmy Carter, it was an October Surprise 1980 to do with Iran”
Plays Stone saying on Credico's radio show 8/23/16. Stone says he had a "mutual friend" with Assange giving him "pretty good information."
Clip closes with Stone saying: "Well I suspect Mr. Assange does have proof. So Hillary, it's handcuff time!"
Clip closes with Stone saying: "Well I suspect Mr. Assange does have proof. So Hillary, it's handcuff time!"
Prosecutor: “When you asked Mr. Assange on live New York City radio (on 8/25/16) whether Mr. Assange had a backchannel (to Stone), were you referring to yourself?”
Credico: “No!”
Credico: “No!”
