Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Stone asserts innocence as he raises money
He couldn’t give deliver the full-strength, unadulterated, noholds-barred Roger Stone, but the one-time confidante of President Donald Trump rallied people to his cause, for the president — and against their enemies.
Stone had an especially harsh assessment of former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
“Joe Biden seems to have no self-awareness whatsoever,” Stone said Monday night. “He does not seem to understand that he comes across as a pompous loudmouth blowhard with nothing to say, which is good, because he has had so much Botox he can barely talk.”
As for his own situation, Stone was held back by a gag order imposed by the federal judge presiding over the case against him brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Still, he asserted his innocence before 1,000-plus people at the Palm Beach County Trump 45 Club. “Let me address in a careful way my own situation,” he said. “Here’s what I can tell you: I have pled not guilty and I will be vindicated on every single count.” The declaration brought sustained applause, whistles and shouts of approval.
But, he said, that requires lots of money.
“I have vowed a vigorous legal defense and I will mount one. But the cost of doing so is astronomical. It’s in excess of $2 million,” he said, explaining that he is “close to bankrupt. I have lost my home. I have lost my savings. I have lost most of my insurance. I have sold my car, and I do everything I can to finance my legal defense.
“Despite both the legal and financial pressure, I will not fold. I
will not yield,” Stone said.
Stone asked people to contribute to his legal defense fund and to buy Stone merchandise — books, Tshirts, autographed rocks (called “Roger Stones”). “These sales go to help my wife and I in our struggle to eat, to pay for gasoline, to pay for medical care. Yes, we need your help.”
Hundreds of attendees obliged, lining up for an hour after the speech to make purchases, and get them signed and have pictures taken with him.
And, Stone said, he’s turned to another source.
“I have put myself in God’s hands,” he said. “I am convinced that God has presented me these challenges to do his will, whatever that may be. And it is God who sustains me in this epic fight ahead.”
Stone was arrested at his Fort Lauderdale home on Jan. 25 and charged with witness tampering, obstruction and false statements about his interactions related to the release of stolen Democratic Party emails by WikiLeaks during the 2016 presidential campaigns. His trial is scheduled to start Nov. 5.
Stone could have his bail revoked if he discusses the case in violation of a court order. He avoided jail after he posted a picture of the federal judge presiding over his case on Instagram with an image that to many looks like the cross hairs of a gun next to her head and when an updated version of one of his books criticized the special counsel’s investigation.
Although Stone didn’t mention Mueller or specifics about the case, Trump Club President Joe Budd didn’t hold back.
Mueller’s office “orchestrated a vicious, over the top, vindictive raid on Roger Stone to make it seem like his arrest was a big deal in their investigation in search of a crime, which they never found,” Budd said. “We all know it was really an attempt at intimidating an innocent person into fabricating information that they could use against the president.”
Both men said there was no coordination of Budd’s comments. “I had no advance notice of his introduction. I had no input in it. He did not speak at my direction or at my behest. He is responsible for his own words,” Stone said.
During his remarks, Stone also praised the president, criticized mainstream news media coverage of Trump, and warned against overconfidence.
“Donald Trump is a man of enormous courage, enormous fortitude and enormous stamina, and he will never let this country down nor will he ever quit in his efforts to ‘Make America Great Again,’” Stone said.
Stone predicted a Trump victory in 2020, but told the president’s fans not to get complacent. “Make no mistake about it, this will be a difficult and hard-fought race.”
Stone spoke to the Palm Beach County’s Trump 45 Club in September, before he was indicted. On Monday, he attracted a much longer line of people who wanted to buy merchandise and get pictures than last year.
Budd said that’s because Trump supporters see Stone as a victim of the Mueller investigation. “To help Roger Stone is the equivalent of pushing back against Robert Mueller,” he said.
“I thought he was good. He was very honest and forthcoming,” said Maureen Villella, of Boynton Beach, who added that she was offended by the way the FBI arrested Stone. “It was ridiculous. We’re not living in Russia. That’s what it reminded me of.”
Villella said she “totally” supports the president. “He’s doing great things for us. He’s not political. It’s a breath of fresh air.”
Lynne Caggiano , of Tamarac, and daughter Lauren, 13, bought a copy of one of Stone’s books and two “Roger Stones,” and had all three autographed. Both wore red Trump “Make America Great Again” caps.
“I think he’s innocent,” Lynne Caggiano said. “I think he’s been mistreated.”