Donald Trump appears to be on the path to issuing a pardon of Roger Stone, his former campaign adviser who was just sentenced to more than three years in prison for lying and witness tampering.
But according to former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner, a pardon of Roger Stone could be used in a potential conspiracy charge against Trump once he leaves office.
“I think once Donald Trump is out of office, that will be used as an overt act in a conspiracy charge against Donald Trump for defrauding the United States,” Kirschner said. “There is so much more to come on this.”
Video:
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
‘There is so much more to come on this’: @glennkirschner2 explains why a Roger Stone pardon could lead to conspiracy charges against Donald Trump once he leaves office. #ctl #p2 #amjoy pic.twitter.com/pRKDetyw5F
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 22, 2020
Kirschner said:
You know, I think we all sense that a pardon is likely to come for Roger Stone. Can I tell you, Joy, there may be no way of stopping that. But as a former career prosecutor, here is how I would use that. Judge Amy Berman Jackson, a really fine, respected jurist who was the judge in Roger Stone’s case, said on the record at Roger Stone’s sentencing hearing on Thursday that Roger Stone’s lies to Congress and his tampering with a witness was designed to cover up for the president of the United States. If the president decides to grant the person who perpetrated that cover-up a pardon, I think that would be corrupt. I think once Donald Trump is out of office, that will be used as an overt act in a conspiracy charge against Donald Trump for defrauding the United States. There is so much more to come on this.
Stone’s crimes were designed to cover up for Trump
Roger Stone’s sentence wasn’t just important because of the length of time he’ll be spending behind bars. Just as key was Judge Amy Berman Jackson’s explanation for the sentence.
As Glenn Kirschner noted on Saturday, Jackson said on the record that Stone’s crimes for which he was sentenced were designed to directly cover up for Donald Trump.
So if this president turns around and pardons Stone, it would be – as Rep. Adam Schiff said this week – another “breathtaking act of corruption” for which he should and could face legal and political consequences.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
