President Donald Trump’s longtime associate Roger Stone viciously attacked the federal judge overseeing his case on Monday, only to file a pathetic apology later the same day, which left legal experts in complete shock.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson is the same judge who oversaw Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s case against Paul Manafort. So, of course, Stone lashed out at her on Instagram by posting her picture next to crosshairs and accused her of being part of a “Deep State” conspiracy against him and Trump.
The post was so offensive and outrageous that Stone removed it and his attorney filed an apology with the court.
“Please inform the Court that the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted,” Stone wrote. I had no intention of disrespecting the Court and humbly apologize to the Court for the transgression.”
Stone also claimed that the crosshairs are subject to “interpretation.”
But that may not be good enough to spare Stone the consequences of attacking and threatening a federal judge.
It’s certainly not good enough as far as legal experts are concerned. Many of them trashed the apology on Twitter and slammed Stone for his behavior:
Federal judges are frequently threatened, but rarely by someone with the influence of Roger Stone. This thuggery should be universally condemned. https://t.co/YJ1xdZgXjw
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 18, 2019
I’ve never seen a “notice of apology” filed before. https://t.co/G66a2ZqNmm
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 19, 2019
This is beyond unacceptable and Donald Trump better condemn it. If he does not, his silence will speak volumes. This is a direct attack on the rule of law and its guardians. https://t.co/gIGwAsb64n
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) February 18, 2019
Such despicable behavior is enabled and catalysts by Donald Trump’s rhetoric every day. I don’t care what side you are on, this is the behavior of thugs and dictators, not real Americans.
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) February 18, 2019
I prosecuted a dude who thought he didn’t have to pay taxes because he was a Natural Constitutional Man or some shit and who thought I was part of a black-helicopter UN conspiracy and he was, like, FAR more normal and sensible than this gang of imbeciles.
— EmergenHat (@Popehat) February 19, 2019
This is completely out of bounds. The cross hairs will likely lead prosecutors to ask for revocation of his pre-trial release. At best, this is a cheap stunt designed to get the judge to recuse, at worst, an outright threat. https://t.co/wJ1jlWFLIM
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) February 18, 2019
This is so out of bounds & offensive I don’t even know how to explain it. Violent gang members, leaders of drug cartels & mob guys have more respect for judges & very rarely do something like this. https://t.co/I0J66kBn7x
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) February 19, 2019
Soon it’ll be I “miss natural sunlight.” https://t.co/usfNg6H3m1
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) February 18, 2019
Roger Stone’s pretrial release should be revoked. His cross-hairs on the presiding judge amount to a call for her assassination. He should be jailed immediately. https://t.co/wpsMD9oBbV
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) February 18, 2019
This intimidation tactic should not be tolerated and the judge needs to throw the book at Stone to deter future transgressions from other Trump associates, including Trump and his family members themselves.
Trump has frequently attacked federal judges in cases against him and it’s the exact playbook Stone is using here. A message must be sent that this kind of behavior is unacceptable and has real consequences.
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