WASHINGTON – A federal judge has banned Roger Stone, the longtime confidant to President Donald Trump, from using social media after finding him in violation of a court-issued gag order Tuesday.
In doing so, U.S. Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Stone not to "post or communicate on Instagram Twitter or Facebook in any way or any subject."
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"It seems as if once again I am wrestling with behavior that has to do more with middle school than a court of law," Jackson said Tuesday, according to ABC News. "Whether the problem is that you can't follow simple orders or you won't, I need to help you out."
Jackson had imposed a full gag order in February after he posted a photo of Jackson with what appeared to be crosshairs near her head. Stone and his lawyers filed a notice with the court that said they recognized the photo was "improper and should not have been posted."
Stone later said the photo was "misinterpreted" and that the symbol was actually a logo, not crosshairs of a gun. He said the picture was a "random photo taken from the Internet" and dismissed any suggestion he was trying to threaten the judge.
The 66-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident was arrested in January. He faces seven federal charges, including five counts of making false statements, one count of obstructing an official proceeding and one count of witness tampering. The case is part of Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The indictment alleges Stone was the middle man between Trump's presidential campaign and WikiLeaks, which had damaging information on Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Stone has pleaded not guilty.