Roger Stone, a GOP operative and Trump ally, faces trial on accusations he lied to Congress

WASHINGTON – Roger Stone, a longtime Republican operative who embraced a reputation as a dirty trickster, will stand trial this week on accusations that he lied about his role as a middleman between WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential race.

Stone, who has maintained his innocence, is among the most prominent allies of President Donald Trump to be charged as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the presidential election.

And he's the latest to face trial.

The spectacle of Stone's trial, which begins with jury selection Tuesday, could reinvigorate the Trump-Russia controversy as the president faces accusations that he sought to have another country, Ukraine, interfere in the 2020 election.

Stone will face a jury at a federal courthouse across the street from the Capitol, where an impeachment inquiry has yielded testimony about the Trump administration's efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.

The 67-year-old flamboyant Trump ally faces seven charges: one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements and one count of witness tampering. The maximum penalty for all the charges totals 50 years in prison, though first-time offenders usually are sentenced to much less.

The government's evidence against Stone includes emails and text messages that show his efforts to learn about WikiLeaks' plan to release damaging emails about Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival in the 2016 election. Prosecutors said they have messages in which Stone pressured a witness to scuttle his congressional testimony.

Communication with WikiLeaks, Trump campaign

Prosecutors contend Stone knew WikiLeaks had damaging information about Clinton's campaign before the anti-secrecy group released a trove of emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee in 2016.

Stone told senior Trump campaign officials about WikiLeaks in the summer of 2016, according to prosecutors. After the group published the DNC emails in late July, a campaign official was directed to contact Stone and ask about additional releases, according to court records. Prosecutors have not said who directed that official.

Mueller's two-year investigation found that Russian intelligence stole the emails and passed them to WikiLeaks.

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The indictment cites several emails and text messages between Stone and two associates: Jerome Corsi, a right-wing political commentator, and Randy Credico, a radio host who interviewed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Prosecutors allege Stone asked the two men, neither of whom have been charged with a crime, to pass messages to Assange.

Prosecutors say Corsi alerted Stone in August 2016 that WikiLeaks planned to release more emails.

"Word is friend in embassy plans 2 more dumps," Corsi said in an email, referring to Assange's self-imposed exile at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. "Impact planned to be very damaging."

Stone said privately and publicly that he had been in contact with WikiLeaks, though the group denied it. He claimed he communicated with WikiLeaks through Credico, whom Stone described as an intermediary to Assange, according to court records.

In early October 2016, Credico texted Stone: "big news Wednesday ... now pretend u don't know me ... Hillary's campaign will die this week."

A high-ranking Trump campaign official emailed Stone days later, asking about the status of future email dumps from WikiLeaks, according to court records. Stone said WikiLeaks would release "a load every week going forward."

The group published the first set of emails stolen from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. An associate of the high-ranking Trump campaign official texted Stone: "well done."

'Stonewall it. Plead the fifth.'

Prosecutors say Stone tried to obstruct investigations into Russia's interference by lying to Congress and the FBI about his interactions with WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign.

Stone told members of the House Intelligence Committee in September 2017 that he did not have advance knowledge of the hacking of Podesta's emails. Stone denied talking to people about the stolen documents, though prosecutors point to "numerous emails and text messages" showing otherwise, according to court records.

Prosecutors allege Stone tried to convince Credico to lie. "Stonewall it. Plead the fifth. Anything to save the plan," Stone texted, referring to the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.

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He told Credico to follow the lead of Frank Pentangeli, a mob leader in "The Godfather" trilogy who lied to Congress to avoid incriminating Mafia boss Michael Corleone.

"Start practicing your Pantagele [sic]," Stone said in a text message in early December 2017, shortly after Credico was subpoenaed by the House Intelligence Committee. "And if you turned over anything to the FBI you're a fool."

Credico, who invoked his Fifth Amendment right, texted Stone later that month: "You should be honest w fbi."

The two men kept in touch. Their messages became increasingly combative and, in Stone's case, threatening, according to court records.

"You are a rat. A stoolie," says an April 2018 email in which Stone threatened to take Credico's dog from him. On the same day, he allegedly wrote, "I am so ready. Let's get it on. Prepare to die [expletive]."

Credico emailed Stone in May 2018, saying, "You've opened yourself to perjury charges like an idiot." Stone replied, "You are so full of [expletive]. You got nothing."

Stone was arrested at his Florida home in January.

Prosecutors wanted to play a video clip from "The Godfather" at Stone's trial, but U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson denied the government's request, ruling the clip would be prejudicial against Stone.

The four-minute clip shows Pentangeli looking at Corleone and telling lawmakers he didn't know of the Mafia boss's role in organized crime. Prosecutors will be allowed to show jurors a transcript of the scene.

Stone was barred from using social media after Instagram posts in which he attacked the Russia investigation and accused former officials of treason. One controversial post showed a picture of Jackson next to what appeared to be a gun's crosshairs.

Who is Roger Stone? Longtime Republican operative worked on campaigns from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump

Stone has been a long-standing force in GOP politics, working on Republican campaigns from Richard Nixon's – whose face he had tattooed on his back – to Trump's. He left the Trump campaign in August 2015, though he remained an informal adviser.

A half-dozen Trump associates have been indicted or convicted

Five other former Trump campaign allies and aides have been indicted or convicted since 2017 as part of Mueller's Russia investigation.

Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, is serving more than seven years in prison after he was convicted on several charges, including defrauding banks and taxpayers out of millions of dollars amassed through illicit lobbying.

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn awaits sentencing after he pleaded guilty to making false statements to investigators about his contacts with a Russian ambassador.

Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, is serving three years in prison after admitting he lied to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Russia. Cohen admitted he was involved in schemes to buy the silence of two women who claimed to have had sexual relationships with Trump.

Former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who is running for Congress, served a two-week prison sentence last year after admitting he lied to investigators about his contacts with Russians.

Another former campaign aide, Rick Gates, pleaded guilty to lying to investigators. His sentencing has been put on hold as he cooperates in other cases, including Stone's. He may testify at Stone's trial.

Contributing: Bart Jansen, Kevin Johnson and David Jackson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Roger Stone: Donald Trump ally faces trial as part of Russia probe