After President Donald Trump commuted his 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress, Roger Stone celebrated with a group of supporters at his home on Friday night in Fort Lauderdale.
Stone, a political operative, was prepared for the occasion with a black and white “Free Roger Stone!” face mask and a “Roger Stone Still Did Nothing Wrong!” T-shirt.
“As some of you may know, the president’s decision came literally in the nick of time,” Stone said.
Stone described the president’s Friday afternoon call as brief and cordial.
“He said that he had thought about it,” Stone said. “He had followed my case throughout and he thought that I had been treated unfairly.”
Stone was convicted of witness tampering and of obstructing the Special Counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He had been scheduled to report to prison on Tuesday.
According to Stone, he was worried about contracting COVID-19 in prison.
With the spike in coronavirus cases in South Florida, Stone claims he will take every precaution.
“I have to live long enough to get to the appeal, and at 67 years old, with a history of respiratory problems and other underlying health issues, the danger was very real,” Stone said.
After prosecutors recommended a seven to nine years prison sentence, Attorney General William Barr reversed the decision pointing out the punishment was excessive. Stone remains a convicted felon despite Trump’s commutation, so he said he will continue to work to clear his name.
COVERAGE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.: Trump commutes Roger Stone’s prison sentence