Randy Credico, a liberal radio personality, associate of Roger Stone, and witness in Robert Mueller’s now completed probe, predicted in a television interview that President Donald Trump will likely pardon Roger Stone. Why? To keep the former Trump campaign adviser from blabbing to investigators, Credico argued.
The conclusion of Mueller’s investigation last weekend raised speculation about whether Trump will pardon anyone caught up in the probe.
Stone associate predicts pardon
Stone was arrested and charged in January for lying to Congress about his contacts with WikiLeaks, the website that published Democrats’ emails stolen by Russian hackers before the 2016 election. Mueller also accused him of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The dramatic show of force in the pre-dawn, armed raid on Stone’s home alarmed many and raised questions about abuses of power in Mueller’s investigation.
Credico, who was a witness in the probe, claimed that Trump isn’t one to honor those loyal to him but will seek a pardon for Stone out of self-interest.
“He’ll get a pardon. He’ll definitely get a pardon. You know, he’s been loyal to this president for 37 years. I know the president is not loyal; doesn’t reciprocate loyalty. But in this case, you know, he really doesn’t want Roger Stone yapping out there,” Credico told MSNBC’s Ari Melber on Thursday.
Stone had repeatedly said throughout Mueller’s probe that he would never testify against the president, and he stood by that position after his arrest. Trump praised Stone for having the “guts” to not testify against him in December, and though he demurred on the pardon question after Stone’s arrest, he continued to praise him. For his part, Stone has said that he is not seeking a pardon from the president.
Another former Trump associate had a mouthful to share before Congress last month: Trump’s former long-time fixer and lawyer, Michael Cohen, who offered a scathing description of Trump as a racist conman in hours of highly publicized testimony. Trump called Cohen a “rat” after he turned against his former boss and predicted that Cohen was flipping against him to get a reduced prison sentence.
Credico, who was named in Stone’s indictment, said he spoke with Mueller’s team “six or seven times.”
Stone told the House Intelligence Committee in 2017 that Credico was his “back channel” to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, which Credico denied. This allegedly prompted Stone to threaten to steal Credico’s dog.
Trump mulling pardons?
Stone, known for his rakish demeanor, flamboyant style, and love of Richard Nixon, emerged defiant from his arrest (he even flashed Richard Nixon’s “V” for victory gesture) in January and has been fighting the charges ever since, pleading not guilty. Stone’s outspoken statements after his arrest prompted a federal judge to issue a gag order. His trial is set to begin in November.
Trump’s vindication by Mueller has left many to wonder whether those caught up in the probe will find relief, especially since most were brought up on process crime charges resulting from the investigation itself. Those individuals include Stone and General Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators, and whose case, like Stone’s, has attracted sympathy from Trump’s base.
With the collusion narrative having imploded, allies of Trump have called for the president to relieve those hurt in the probe. Fox host Tucker Carlson, who for his part received Trump’s support as he faced advertiser boycotts over offensive comments this month, called on Trump Wednesday to immediately pardon Flynn, Stone, and Trump campaign associate George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators.
“And what about the victims of this monstrosity? Roger Stone is facing life in prison,” Carlson said on his show Friday, as news that Mueller’s probe was over dawned on the nation. “All to find collusion. But there was no collusion. Stone is still looking at life in prison. Where is Roger Stone’s pardon? His pardon from the president? Let’s hope it comes very soon.”
Papadopoulos became the first individual indicted in the Mueller probe to ask Trump for a pardon this week. In an interview with Sean Hannity Wednesday night, his first since Mueller’s investigation ended, Trump demurred on the question of pardons but expressed sympathy for those hurt in the probe, saying it was a “very, very sad” situation.
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