Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 25-01-2019
A Professor of International Studies has told Radio Islam the arrest of a close of confidant of US President Donald Trump is significant as he is among the 34 people that have been indicted or arrested since special counsel Robert Mueller started his investigation.
Roger Stone was arrested Friday morning as part of Mueller’s Russia investigation and was charged with lying to Congress and obstructing the probe.
The seven-count indictment against Stone details to date about how Trump campaign associates were aware in the summer of 2016 that emails had been stolen from the Hillary Clinton campaign and wanted them released.
It also accuses him of witness tampering, obstruction and false statements about his interactions related to WikiLeaks’ release.
According to the indictment, some of those false statements were made to the House intelligence committee.
International Studies Professor James Dorsey says Stone was one of Trumps strongest supporters during his campaign.
“This is the man who probably comes the closed to President Trump. They have been associates for the past four decades. He is the controversial figure widely seen as a ‘dirty tricks man’ for the Republican party.”
He says the arrest of Stone is not good news for Trump.
“This is not only uncomfortably close for the president, but it’s also far more directly involving what is normally referred to as collusion, although under American law would be really conspiracy.”
Stone has said for months he was prepared to be charged, although he has denied any wrongdoing.
0 Comments