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Roger Stone, long-time political ally of President Trump, launches a victory gesture as he leaves after a status conference in the criminal case brought against him by Special Advocate Robert S Mueller III in federal court in Washington on February 1st. (Jim Bourg / Reuters)
A few days after a federal judge imposed a gag order, Roger Stone posted a photo of this judge on his Instagram page where his name appears, a close-up of his face and what appeared to be the line of sight of a viewfinder. head.
Stone, a long-time confidant of President Trump, deleted the photo soon after, then republished it without the line of sight before also removing this second post.
US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson presides over Stone's criminal trial in which he pleaded not guilty on his efforts to gather information on the 2016 Democratic Party's hacked emails published by WikiLeaks.
Jackson on Friday insulted Stone, stating that he could not make a media statement about his case near the federal courthouse in Washington, but imposing no further restrictions on his ability to make public comments.
The judge imposed harsher restraints on lawyers and potential witnesses, asking them not to make statements that would be prejudicial to the jury.
In the text accompanying the first post, Stone referred to the special advocate Robert S. Mueller III, who had initiated the proceedings against him. "Thanks to the legal trickery, Deep State's killer, Robert Mueller, has ensured that my next lawsuit would be before Judge Amy Berman Jackson," Stone wrote, adding that Jackson was "an Obama-appointed judge" and the "# fixisin ".
The US service Marshals, which ensures the safety of federal judges, has not responded to a request for comment.
In an SMS sent to the Washington Post on Monday, Stone said Jackson's photo was posted by a "volunteer" who helped him manage his accounts on social networks.
"The picture was misinterpreted and I did not want to threaten the judge or disrespect the court," Stone wrote. "[It] is a picture taken randomly on the Internet and posted under my direction. Because he was subject to misinterpretations, I ordered that he be removed. "
Stone also disputed that the original post included a reticle.
"What some say is a line of sight, it 's actually the logo of the organization that originally published it – that' s what it is. we call it central corruption, "Stone told The Post. "They use the logo in many pictures."
The photo appears indeed on at least one blog of the extreme right, sporting the logo in the form of cross.
However, in a court case on Monday, Stone's lawyers officially apologized for the job.
"The undersigned attorney, with the authority of Roger J. Stone, who is attached, apologizes to the Court for the incorrect picture and commentary posted on Instragram today," the document says. Mr. Stone recognizes the inconvenience and has it removed.
Stone used the possibility of a gag order as a club to attack the special advocate's office. Earlier this month, Stone posted a picture of himself on Instagram with what appeared to be a big piece of gold ribbon on his mouth.
Under the photo, he writes: "Now, a judge appointed by Obama wants to gag me, so I can not defend myself from the numerous media leaks from the Mueller strike group … My lawyers are fighting this effort to curtail my rights at First Amendment. "
In the days leading up to the gag order against Jackson's courthouse, Stone and his family members often claimed that a slash would limit his ability to raise funds for his defense funds.
[Roger Stone has to stay mum near the courthouse under gag order from judge]
In a fundraising letter dated February 8, Stone's wife, Nydia Stone, wrote: "The same Obama has appointed a judge who has [former Trump campaign chairman] Paul Manafort in solitary confinement before being convicted of a crime is now considering making a gag order so that my husband can no longer publicly raise funds for his legal defense. That is why it is important that you rush me today your answer. emphasized the sentence to emphasize.
Jackson is the same judge who said last week that Manafort – Stone's long-time friend and former business partner – had lied to Mueller's attorneys.
In messages prior to The Post, Stone wrote a more conciliatory note, writing the day of the partial notice order: "I am pleased that the judge's order leaves my first amendment entitled to defend me in public intact. "
"Of course I will continue to be wise in my comments on the case," he added.
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