Melissa Joskow / Media Matters
In the wake of Roger Stone's recent federal indictment, President Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from his longtime adviser, tweeting that “Stone didn’t even work for me anywhere near the election.” But Stone frequently bragged about his communications with Trump and senior members of his campaign leading up to the 2016 election.
Stone is a racist and sexist commentator who works for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars network. Stone has written that he has “worked for Trump with the Trump Organization, the Trump Shuttle, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, and several political explorations over a forty-year period.” He also worked as a paid consultant to Trump’s presidential campaign for part of 2015 and then later headed two pro-Trump groups.
Stone drew scrutiny during the 2016 presidential campaign after he said on August 8, 2016: “I actually have communicated with [WikiLeaks founder Julian] Assange.”
CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski and Christopher Massie reported in November that Stone “repeatedly claimed contact with Donald Trump and his campaign while touting WikiLeaks connections.”
The following are over 20 instances from November 2015 to November 2016 in which Stone publicly discussed talking with Trump or senior members of his campaign. (Note: For interviews, the date listed is the date conducted where that is readily available; otherwise, it is the publication date.)
November 10, 2015. Stone: “I just got off the phone with Trump about 20 minutes ago.” [City & State]
March 1, 2016. Stone says he “spoke to the candidate last night” but wouldn’t divulge what they talked about. [WIOD, Fernand Amandi Show]
March 25, 2016: Stone wrote in his book The Making of the President 2016 that he spoke to Trump on the Friday before Easter:
On the Friday before Easter, Trump called me at my south Florida home. “Can they really steal this thing from me?” he asked. Remember, that Trump’s call came in the wake of stinging losses in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado and having the Louisiana delegates stolen out from under his nose—even though he had easily won the Louisiana primaries. So his concern was obvious. “Yes, they can steal it, and they will try,” I said. “Even though I won all the primaries?” “Yes, they’re going to play games with the rules.” “What should I do?” the mogul asked. “Call my former partner, Paul Manafort. You’ve met him, he’s a friend of Tom Barrack and he knows more about convention politics than anyone in America.” Trump asked for Manafort’s cell phone number and I provided it.
On March 28, Trump hired veteran Republican strategist Paul J. Manafort to lead his final delegate-corralling efforts. [The Making of the President 2016: How Donald Trump Orchestrated a Revolution]
March 30, 2016. Stone says he talks with Trump “from time to time.” Asked if their conversations are weekly or monthly, Stone replied: “We just have a rhythm. More often than that, but not every day, not every other day.” [GQ]
April 19, 2016. Stone: “I talk to Trump from time to time, but not every day. I don't even necessarily talk to him every week.” [CNN]
May 4, 2016. Stone: “Donald Trump himself told me that he has seen so many of your supporters and listeners at his rallies.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show]
May 6, 2016. Stone: “I was fortunate to speak to Donald today and you know those conversations are private and proprietary, but I must tell you he is really pumped up.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show]
July 10, 2016. Stone says he talked to then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort “yesterday.” [WBAL, The Jimmy Mathis Show]
July 18, 2016: Stone says he talked with Paul Manafort, then-campaign pollster Tony Fabrizio, and then-senior adviser Jason Miller on the day of a pro-Trump Republican National Committee rally. [The Daily Beast]
July 19, 2016: Stone tells The Guardian that while he has no title on the campaign, “I have access to all the right people.” [The Guardian]
July 20, 2016. Stone says he last talked to Trump on “Saturday.” [PBS, Charlie Rose]
August 4, 2016. Stone says he spoke to Trump “yesterday. He's in good spirits.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, via CNN]
August 17, 2016. Stone says he advised Trump at an unspecified time about including third-party candidates in an upcoming presidential debate. [WIOD, Fernand Amandi Show]
August 17, 2016. Stone says he spoke about hiring Stephen Bannon “internally over the last couple days.” [WIOD, Fernand Amandi Show]
August 17, 2016. Stone says he talked to Paul Manafort “this morning” about staffing changes. [WIOD, Fernand Amandi Show]
August 18, 2016. Stone: “We talk from time to time. I decline to characterize the content of those conversations because they’re personal and they’re private.” [C-SPAN, Newsmakers]
September 20, 2016. Stone: I’m “headed back to Trump Tower right now.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show]
September 21, 2016. Stone confirms that he spoke to Trump late the night before. [WNYM, The Joe Piscopo Show, via CNN]
October 3, 2016. Stone says he talks with Trump “from time to time” but “less than before” because of his schedule. [The Jamie Weinstein Show]
October 4, 2016. Stone says he’s talked to Trump within the past two weeks. [Talk 40 News, The Bryan Crabtree Show]
November 5, 2016. Stone: “I spoke to him, I guess, yesterday. He was in an extraordinarily good mood.” [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show]