Disgraced former Trump aide Roger Stone will plead the fifth at Capitol riot hearing, lawyer says

Donald Trump’s former associate, Roger Stone, has informed the House select committee investigating the Capitol riot that he will plead the 5th Amendment.

Mr Stone’s lawyer Grant J Smith wrote a letter addressed to Chairperson Bennie Thompson, which explained that his client Mr Stone would be using his right to refuse to answer any questions after he received a subpoena.

“Mr Stone declines to be deposed or to produce documents,” reads the letter seen by The Independent.

“Given that the select Select Committee’s demand for documents is overboard, overreaching, and far too wide-ranging to be deemed anything but a fishing expedition, Mr Stone has a constitutional right to decline to respond,” continued the letter.

Mr Stone is among a number of Mr Trump’s allies who recently received subpoenas for the 6 January investigation, including far-right media host Alex Jones and Taylor Budowich, the communications director for Mr Trump’s “Save America” campaign. Three of those who received subpoenas in the investigation have pleaded the fifth to date.

Mr Stone had allegedly been invited to lead the march to the Capitol on 6 January, but in the end, did not attend the rally or go to the Capitol. Investigators are also interested in why Mr Stone used members of the far-right anti-government militia group the Oath Keepers to act as his personal security.

Mr Stone was set to appear for a deposition on 17 December.

Republican Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney sit on the committee Select Committee investigating the 6 January, but Mr Smith explained that Mr Stone is “concerned about the politicisation of this Select Committee,” as no person on the panel was appointed by the Republican Party. Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed both Ms Cheney and Mis Kinzinger.

In 2019, a jury convicted Roger Stone of seven felony counts including witness tampering and false statements in connection with Robert Mueller's Special Counsel investigation. He was sentenced to more than three years in prison, but his sentence was commuted by Donald Trump before he left his presidency.

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