Roger Stone pleads not guilty
Reporting by Robert Legare and Clare Hymes
Former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone, through his lawyer, pleaded not guilty to seven counts in federal court in D.C. Tuesday. Stone is charged with obstructing justice, lying to Congress and witness tampering.
Stone, known for his unique fashion sense, appeared in court Monday wearing a dark blue suit, blue shirt, blue tie and pocket square to match. Stone barely spoke during the proceeding, saying, "Yes, your honor," to the judge three times during the arraignment, and "I do" once when agreeing he would comply with the conditions of his release. Stone exited the court after the brief hearing to a mass of protesters both supporting and condemning him.
The next court date for Stone's case is Feb. 1. Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the same judge who is handling former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's case, will be presiding over Stone's court proceedings.
Stone is out on $250,000 bail, and has utilized his freedom the last few days to make the circuit of news talk shows and proclaim his innocence. He was arrested at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, early Friday morning.
"I'm going to tell the truth no matter what," Stone told CBS News in an interview Sunday. "I have no intention of not telling truth. I have never not told the truth. Claims that I was less than truthful before the House Intelligence Committee will be disproven."
Stone is the sixth associate of the president's to be charged in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling. The White House asserts the charges leveled against Stone have nothing to do with the White House or Mr. Trump.
"The president did nothing wrong," insisted White House press secretary Sarah Sanders in a White House press briefing Monday.
Stone hasn't ruled out the possibility of cooperating with Mueller.
The indictment leveled against Stone alleges he spoke to "senior Trump campaign officials" about WikiLeaks' "future releases" of information revealing stolen Democratic Party emails during the 2016 presidential election. It also alleges he attempted to obstruct a House Intelligence Committee probe into Russia.