President Donald Trump has shortened the prison sentence of his friend and former political advisor Roger Stone just days before his longtime adviser set to report to a federal prison to serve a 40-month term.
Stone, 67, was convicted in November of seven charges — including lying to Congress under oath,
obstruction of a congressional investigation and tampering with a witness during the Trump-Russia investigation.
In a statement released on Friday, the White House press Kayleigh McEnany claimed that Stone was
“a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left
and its allies in the media perpetuated for years
to undermine the Trump Presidency.”
“There was never any collusion between the Trump Campaign,
or the Trump Administration, with Russia.
Such collusion was never anything other than a fantasy of partisans
unable to accept the result of the 2016 election,” she said.
Citing “many medical conditions,” McEnany added that Stone “would be put at serious medical risk in prison.”
“He has appealed his conviction and is seeking a recent trial.
He maintains his innocence and has stated t
hat he expects to be fully exonerated by the justice system,” she said.
“Mr. Stone, like every American, deserves a fair trial and every opportunity to vindicate himself before the courts.
The President does not wish to interfere with his efforts to do so.
However, and particularly considering the egregious facts and circumstances of his unfair prosecution,
arrest, and trial, the President has determined to shorten his sentence.
Roger Stone has already suffered.
He was treated unfairly, as were many others in this case.
Roger Stone is now a free man!”
According to the Department of Justice, Stone tried to hinder the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation
of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and what the Trump campaign knew about that.
Part of House investigation included Russia’s involvement in the release of damaging Democratic emails via WikiLeaks in 2016.
Stone was one of several Trump aides charged with crimes because of Mueller’s investigation.
Others include Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser.
Trump, 74, has continually denounced Stone’s prosecution since his arrest in January 2019.
Stone’s commutation does not erase his felony convictions,
the Associated Press reported but would protect him serving prison time.
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