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The order received on Tuesday is another blow for Stone in the slow march towards his criminal trial. After being arrested in late January for intimidating witnesses and lying to Congress, Jackson told him that he could only speak in and around the federal courthouse and that he had to pay attention to what he was saying. He said publicly. He then posted a picture of Jackson on Instagram with a line of sight behind her. She told him less than two weeks ago that he could no longer speak publicly about his case, the court or Mueller.
The same week, she tightened the rules of the gag. A publisher began selling revised copies of Stone's book dating back two years ago, with a new introduction criticizing the Mueller investigation.
Jackson has not yet discovered that Stone had violated court orders, but his assessment of the reissue of his book on Tuesday condemns his recent actions and makes it clear that she is looking very closely whether Stone has again crossed line.
If she finds out, he may be fined or lost on bail and imprisoned. He has pleaded not guilty to seven criminal charges and is currently living at home in Florida, with some restrictions on his trip.
"It does not matter whether the defendant has first formulated the opinions expressed or that he has formulated them for the first time in words: he can no longer share his views on these particular subjects with the world", wrote Jackson.
"There is no doubt that the order prohibits and continues to prohibit the defendant from making public statements, regardless of the means used, regarding the investigation."
Before Jackson takes further action, she wants Stone to learn more about the book. He has until next week to tell him how he's "complied" with his orders. She also wishes that he submit to the court all the recordings of his relations with his publisher and any public statements he made about the reissue of the book.
Jackson's five-page discussion on the book's release Tuesday slaps Stone for several mistakes he's made.
She points out that it is his fault if the gag order is so strict – because he has threatened the court in a post on social media after his arrest. Jackson says Stone had no excuse for not telling him about the release of the late February book when she considered restricting the speech in this case. She also points out that Stone testified under oath that he was not paid to talk about the case – even though the book had been published a few days ago, was clearly referring to the investigation from Mueller and described how Stone needed help to pay his legal bills.
Finally, Jackson accuses Stone of having alerted on the reissue of the book in order to obtain publicity.
"All the costs or consequences that this Court's clear requirement will entail at this late date are also attributable to the defendant," Jackson said of the gag order and its control.
Stone's lawyers had alerted him to the existence of this book at the end of last week, while it was already available for sale. They said it was a "good faith effort" to warn him about it and that the defense lawyers had not had the idea to do it. went to Jackson earlier while she was considering restricting Stone's public statements.
In the introduction of the book, dated January 2019, Stone writes how he expects it to be charged with a crime.
"I am now blacklisted by the Crooked Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller because I have been counseling Donald Trump for forty years," Stone writes in the introduction. "I am targeted not because I have committed a crime, but because the Deep State Liberals want to silence me and pressure me to testify against my good friend."
"Clearly, I've been targeted for strictly political reasons," Stone adds.
The Special Attorney's Office and the US Attorney's Office in DC, which sued Stone, largely remained on the sidelines of whether Stone had breached his gag order.
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