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Odds Say Roger Stone Won’t Testify Publicly Against Trump, Will Plead Guilty

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in Politics News

Updated Mar 27, 2020 · 11:26 AM PDT

Roger Stone caricature
The next image you see of Roger Stone could be a mugshot. Image by DonkeyHotey (flickr).
  • Donald Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone was arrested Friday
  • Stone was indicted on seven charges, including obstruction of justice
  • Sportsbooks are offering odds that Stone won’t testify against Trump

You can’t get blood from a stone, so the old saying goes. But you can get a stone to roll, especially when things are going downhill. And that’s certainly where the world of US President Donald Trump appears to be headed.

Roger Stone, a longtime political operative who worked for Trump during his campaign for President in 2016, was arrested Friday. Stone, 66, was picked up at his Florida home by the FBI and indicted on seven counts – one of obstruction, one of witness tampering and five of making false statements.

Stone has long expected that at some point he’d be indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of Mueller’s ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election, and that belief has now turned to fact.

He’s stated emphatically all along that he wouldn’t testify against Trump if arrested, that he would take the fall. And oddsmakers evidently believe that this is one stone that won’t roll. Sportsbooks favor Stone not cooperating with the investigation.

Odds Roger Stone Will Testify Publicly Against Donald Trump in 2019

Will Roger Stone Testify Publicly Against Donald Trump in 2019? Odds  (01/25/19)
Yes -200
No +150

Stone is alleged to have been the go-between for the Trump campaign as it sought to get emails that would prove damaging to Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton from Wikileaks.

As he exited a Fort Lauderdale courthouse, Stone uttered the phrase known to all who are charged with a crime, insisting of his complete innocence of all charges.

After insisting he was not guilty, he opted to go with the Richard Nixon two-handed victory sign as he exited up the courthouse stairs from his impromptu press conference. Historically speaking, that probably isn’t the best look.

YouTube video

The last guy to display that symbol in public was equally adamant that he was not a crook.

YouTube video

But you know something? He actually was. And Stone would know that, seeing as he worked in the Nixon administration. He even has a tattoo of Nixon.

We hear that lots of guys in prison have tattoos.

Odds Roger Stone Will Plead Guilty of a Crime in 2019

Will Roger Stone Plead Guilty of a Crime in 2019? Odds (01/25/19)
Yes -130
No EVEN

As he announced a temporary reopening of the U.S. government on Friday, Trump ducked all questions from reporters about the Stone arrest.

He did go to his favorite medium, Twitter, to once again rant about what he likes to call Mueller’s witch hunt.

So far, Mueller has indicted 37 people. That’s an awful lot of witches.

While Stone will hold out hope for a Presidential pardon, Trump will strive to distance himself from Stone, at the same not angering him to the point where he might turn on the President. It’s a fine line to walk. Good thing Trump has such a knack for nuance.

Odds Roger Stone Will Be Mentioned During the Upcoming State of the Union

Will Roger Stone Be Mentioned During the Upcoming State of the Union? Odds (01/25/19)
Yes +500
No -900

Stone won’t be mentioned in Trump’s State of the Union address, but he will be found guilty of a crime before the year is out.

As for not testifying against Trump, don’t count on him staying the course. Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen talked tough at first, too.

Prison is a very scary place.

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