Stone says he is 'U.S. person' in indictment accusing Russians of meddling in election

Republican political operative says he doesn't know hacker Guccifer 2.0

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – From his home in Fort Lauderdale, Republican political operative Roger Stone said Friday that he is likely the unnamed President Donald Trump campaign regular mentioned in an indictment against a dozen members of Russia's intelligence service. 

The federal grand jury indictment alleges a "U.S. person" corresponded with the mysterious hacker Guccifer 2.0. getting information from Democrats and aides to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The "U.S. person" allegedly "was in regular contact with senior members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump." Stone said his 24 word exchange with "someone on Twitter" was harmless. 

"This exchange is entirely public and provides no evidence of collaboration or collusion with Guccifer 2.0 or anyone else in the alleged hacking of the DNC emails, as well as taking place many weeks after the events described in today’s indictment," Stone said.

Trump told the Washington Post he decided to terminate Stone, "because he no longer serves a useful function for my campaign." 

Since it is standard operating procedure that the Department of Justice does not identify subjects in indictments who are not being indicted, he said he wasn't concerned about being charged. 

 


About the Authors:

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.