Roger Stone, a former informal adviser to President Trump’s campaign, on Thursday claimed that he believes special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russia’s election meddling is a partisan plot to make Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and possibly even Hillary Clinton president.
Speaking about his indictment last week on charges in the Mueller probe, Stone said he thinks the investigation is about finding a way to “void the 2016 election” in an attempt to get Pelosi or Clinton into the White House.
“I don’t think this is about Roger Stone. I think this is about finding some allegation of Russian collusion to void the 2016 election so that both President Trump and Vice President Pence can be removed, making Nancy Pelosi president,” Stone told Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on “Rising.”
“That would create a vacancy in the vice presidency, which she, of course, could then appoint Hillary Clinton to, then she could resign, and Hillary could become president,” he continued. “Perhaps that’s what they have in mind, or maybe Nancy Pelosi would remain as president.”
Stone did not offer any further details or background on his claim.
Stone pleaded not guilty to the special counsel’s charges: obstruction of a congressional inquiry, witness tampering and five counts of making false statements to Congress.
The special counsel’s office declined to comment to Hill.TV on Stone’s remarks.
When pressed by Ball on whether he believes that a move to remove Trump is a realistic possibility with Republicans controlling the Senate, Stone invoked the fallout from Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination and his slim confirmation vote.
“I saw the hysteria in this country whipped up about Brett Kavanaugh, who was confirmed by one vote,” Stone said. “He did nothing whatsoever wrong. Nothing was proved against him.”
He added that he thinks the “Republican establishment is no fonder of this president than the Democratic establishment because [Trump] challenges the status quo.”
Trump and his allies have long claimed that Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election is politically motivated, calling it a “witch hunt” and a “hoax.”
Mueller has accused Stone of lying to the House Intelligence Committee about his contacts regarding WikiLeaks. The organization published hacked Democratic emails ahead of the 2016 election that U.S. officials later said were stolen by Russian military hackers.
— Julia Manchester
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