In the latest development in GOP operative Roger Stone’s shadow-boxing match with special counsel Robert Mueller, Stone’s attorney has sent a letter to the House Intelligence Committee demanding that it release a transcript of Stone’s testimony before the body.
The letter comes one day after reports that Mueller sent a request to the House Intel Committee asking for a copy of the transcript, seen as a prelude to potential charges in the matter. The committee reportedly voted today to release a copy to the special counsel.
“Mr. Stone hereby demands the full and immediate release to the general public of the Transcript, such that the American citizenry and the world are able to evaluate for themselves Mr. Stone’s veracity,” the letter read.
Stone attorney Grant Smith sent the letter to outgoing House Intel Committee Chair Devin Nunes (R-CA), and provided a copy to TPM.
The document repeats Stone’s claims that he is the victim of a “smear” campaign.
Stone, known for running smear campaigns all his life, has caught investigators interest for his apparent advance knowledge of the content and timing of Wikileaks pre-2016 election release.
In spite of public statements – including a now-infamous August 2016 tweet that it was soon to be Clinton campaign chair John Podesta’s “time in the barrel” – Stone denies that he knew in advance.
“Mr. Stone never had advance knowledge of the source or content of any releases by WikiLeaks or other organizations, and no person can prove, or truthfully claim, otherwise,” Smith wrote in the letter, which is available below:
I got Mr. Stone’s “veracity” fer ya’:
Gotta release the transcript of lies before the truth comes out.
While I see the desire by Stone to “look innocent” the truth is that the transcript will just reveal how Nunez and his staff were acting as defense lawyers for Trump, and generate more stories about how Stone likely lied.
Stone lied to the committee, and now he needs his co-conspirators to align with his BS.
The recent Coney interview was all about establishing a “precedent” that transcripts of these issues can and should be released immediately. That’s why the GOP asked pointless questions about the dead controversies of yesteryear. The substance of the inquiry was irrelevant to the goal of eliminating one of the most basic tools in a prosecutor’s toolbox: using isolated testimony to sift truth from fabrication.
Live by the smear, die by the smear. Or something like that.