Senators ask Trump adviser to preserve any Russia-related documents

[Jacque67 7,328]

Roger J. Stone Jr., an informal adviser to President Trump, has been asked by the Senate Intelligence Committee to preserve any records he may have in connection to a broader inquiry into Russian attempts to interfere with United States elections.

The letter sent to Mr. Stone, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, represents the first public indication of the scope of the committee’s inquiry, and possible connections to Mr. Trump’s campaign.

The Senate committee asked Mr. Stone, who is also under scrutiny from other federal investigators, to “preserve and retain all hard copies and electronically stored information as specified below in furtherance of the committee’s ongoing investigation into Russian actions targeting the 2016 U.S. elections and democratic processes globally.”

Mr. Stone confirmed the existence of the letter, which was dated Feb. 17. However, he said he had received it only on Friday, by email. Mr. Stone has acknowledged trading messages over Twitter with Guccifer 2.0, the online persona that officials believe was actually Russian intelligence officers.

Continue reading the main story

Advertisement

Continue reading the main story

 

The letter to Mr. Stone was signed by the committee’s chairman, Senator Richard M. Burr, Republican of North Carolina, and its ranking Democrat, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia. Press officers for Mr. Burr and Mr. Warner declined to comment on the letter.

Democrats and some investigators, as well as some Republicans, have been watching Mr. Stone, a Richard M. Nixon acolyte and self-described “dirty trickster,” more closely since he posted on Twitter in August 2016 about John D. Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, whose private emails were hacked and provided to WikiLeaks.

Mr. Stone said on Twitter that Mr. Podesta would soon face his “time in the barrel,” two months before the emails were made public. Mr. Stone maintained that he was alluding to business activities he attributed to Mr. Podesta, not prior knowledge of the hackings.

Mr. Stone said he is eager to provide the committee with information.

“I am anxious to rebut allegations that I had any improper or nefarious contact with any agent of the Russian state based on facts, not misleading and salacious headlines,” he said, adding, “I am willing to appear voluntarily if the committee isn’t looking for the headline of issuing a subpoena.”

Get the Morning Briefing by Email

What you need to know to start your day, delivered to your inbox Monday through Friday.

 

Sign Up

Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services.

 

• SEE SAMPLE
•  
• PRIVACY POLICY

Mr. Stone, who has strenuously denied the allegations for months, has retained two lawyers to assist with his response to the inquiry, as well as in the hope of pushing federal investigators to either make their information public or say that no case exists.

“The intelligence agencies pushing this false Russian narrative through a series of illegal leaks have hurt my ability to make a living and are soiling my reputation,” he said. “The government is in possession of no evidence whatsoever that shows that I colluded with the Russian state.”

[Jacque67 7,328]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/us/politics/roger-stone-senate-trump-russia-documents.html

 

lawyered up. Shredders working overtime.

 

manafort under investigation.

 

seb Gorksha nazi ties.

 

donnie Jr posing on a dead tree stump .

 

kellyanne mistaking a scallion for asparagus.

 

only the best.

 

maga.

[jg121783 3,921]

And the Russian conspiracy theory continues. Can we give this nonsense a rest already? There are a lot of wild accusations and not a single shred of solid evidence. John "songbird" McCain even called Rand Paul a Russian agent on the Senate floor the other day. This has gotten out of control. It's McCarthyism on steroids. 

[Jacque67 7,328]

Whatever you say, sport! Stone is triggered up enough to get lawyered up. Nixon was at least intelligent. Trump??? Lol.

love donnie Jr's boots

 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

4 hours ago, jg121783 said:

And the Russian conspiracy theory continues. Can we give this nonsense a rest already? There are a lot of wild accusations and not a single shred of solid evidence. John "songbird" McCain even called Rand Paul a Russian agent on the Senate floor the other day. This has gotten out of control. It's McCarthyism on steroids. 

Go ahead and reach out to your congressperson and get them to drop the investigation. Trump has insisted that congress investigate illegal wiretapping of Trump Tower because he lacks the resources to prove this. 

[ready4ONE 5,400]

6 hours ago, jg121783 said:

And the Russian conspiracy theory continues. Can we give this nonsense a rest already? There are a lot of wild accusations and not a single shred of solid evidence. John "songbird" McCain even called Rand Paul a Russian agent on the Senate floor the other day. This has gotten out of control. It's McCarthyism on steroids. 

Is it Komrade?

[jg121783 3,921]

6 hours ago, Jacque67 said:

Whatever you say, sport! Stone is triggered up enough to get lawyered up. Nixon was at least intelligent. Trump??? Lol.

love donnie Jr's boots

 

Umm anyone with half a brain would get a lawyer when accused of a crime regardless of how ridiculous the accusations are. Personally I want to see a full investigation so the public can see there is nothing to these claims and the liberals can stop wasting everyone's time with this nonsense. I'm sick of all these accusations being thrown out there with no evidence. Put up or shut up liberals.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

14 minutes ago, jg121783 said:

Umm anyone with half a brain would get a lawyer when accused of a crime regardless of how ridiculous the accusations are. Personally I want to see a full investigation so the public can see there is nothing to these claims and the liberals can stop wasting everyone's time with this nonsense. I'm sick of all these accusations being thrown out there with no evidence. Put up or shut up liberals.

Do you feel the same about the wiretapping claims so the conservatives can stop wasting everyone's time with this nonsense? Put up or shut up conservatives. And release your tax returns while you're at it. I'm sick of these accusations too. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

2 hours ago, spookyturtle said:

Do you feel the same about the wiretapping claims so the conservatives can stop wasting everyone's time with this nonsense? Put up or shut up conservatives. And release your tax returns while you're at it. I'm sick of these accusations too. 

I haven't seen too many real conservatives try to support Trump on this. I think this is all a trump pipedream and an international embarrassment.  A bit like toilet paper stuck to the presidents shoe, except the president put it there, insists it looks classy and expects everyone else to lick it off and tell him how good it tastes

[jg121783 3,921]

6 hours ago, spookyturtle said:

Do you feel the same about the wiretapping claims so the conservatives can stop wasting everyone's time with this nonsense? Put up or shut up conservatives. And release your tax returns while you're at it. I'm sick of these accusations too. 

Way to divert from the issue at hand. I absolutely want to see an investigation  into the wiretapping claims which are relatively new. The liberals have been pushing the Russian  conspiracy theory  for at least 5 months now and there has been no actual evidence produced or an investigation conducted. The liberals are hoping there won't be an investigation so they can keep accusing Trump of being a Russian agent for the next 8 years unchecked. No wonder why the Democrats lost a record number of seats at the local, state and federal level in the last election. The mid terms will be the same story if they keep this nonsense up. Like I said put up or shut up. Where is the proof?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

13 minutes ago, jg121783 said:

Way to divert from the issue at hand. I absolutely want to see an investigation  into the wiretapping claims which are relatively new. The liberals have been pushing the Russian  conspiracy theory  for at least 5 months now and there has been no actual evidence produced or an investigation conducted. The liberals are hoping there won't be an investigation so they can keep accusing Trump of being a Russian agent for the next 8 years unchecked. No wonder why the Democrats lost a record number of seats at the local, state and federal level in the last election. The mid terms will be the same story if they keep this nonsense up. Like I said put up or shut up. Where is the proof?

It's pointless. You guys just don't get it. Anyone who uses liberals or Democrats in every post is beyond intelligent discourse. 

[OriZ 3,165]

1 hour ago, spookyturtle said:

It's pointless. You guys just don't get it. Anyone who uses liberals or Democrats in every post is beyond intelligent discourse. 

Never thought a newb like me would have to say this to an old timer such as yourself but...welcome to VJ

[Dakine10 5,452]

2 hours ago, jg121783 said:

Like I said put up or shut up. 

 You should be saying that the buffoon in chief. Trump is the one who is (and has been) making baseless claims.

[jg121783 3,921]

Exactly as I thought. You guys can't cite any evidence for the Russian conspiracy theory. So we get to listen to the liberals whine about the Russians for 8 more years with no evidence to back up their accusations. Just like the big Trump tax revelation on the Richard Maddow show. The nerve of Trump. Paying a higher percentage of taxes than Obama. How dare he.

[TBoneTX 47,533]

I would like evidence regarding:

1.  How many U.S. voters' votes were changed as a result of Russian meddling;

2.  How many U.S. voters were prevented from voting as a result of Russian meddling; and

3.  How many electors changed their votes as a result of Russian meddling.

No one has provided any numbers for these, so far.