Commutes Roger Stone's prison sentence days before he was to report
Using his clemency power to protect a political ally who refused to cooperate with prosecutors, Trump commuted the prison sentence of Roger Stone just days before he was set to report to federal prison. Stone had been convicted of seven felonies, including lying to Congress and witness tampering to protect Trump during the Russia investigation. Trump had previously tweeted that Stone was a "victim" of a "witch hunt." The commutation was widely criticized by legal experts and even some Republicans as a corruption of the justice system to reward silence.
“Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the Media perpetrated for years.” — White House statement on commutation, July 10, 2020
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryRewarding Silence Trump commuted Stone's sentence days before he was to report to prison. Stone had been convicted of lying to Congress to protect Trump--specifically about contacts with WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign. The commutation was the quid pro quo for keeping quiet. The Jan 6 Nexus Stone was a key connector between Trump's inner circle and extremist groups. He associated openly with Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, both of which would be central to the Capitol attack. By keeping Stone free and loyal, Trump maintained this paramilitary connection. Completing the Corrupt Bargain Trump would pardon Stone fully on December 23, 2020--one month before Jan 6 and the same night he summoned supporters to D.C. Stone celebrated with the Proud Boys. The full pardon (upgrading from commutation) ensured Stone's continued loyalty through the coup attempt.