WASHINGTON _ Roger Stone's lawyers told a Washington judge who virtually silenced their client that they had failed to mention his newest book at a Feb. 21 gag order hearing because it was already out there.
Stone's legal team responded Monday to U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson's demand for an explanation as to why she had not been told about the political operative's latest polemic, while she was considering whether to curb his public commentary to avoid tainting the jury pool before trial.
Stone's four lawyers wrote that "it did not occur to counsel" to tell the judge about their client's prior writings. Stone's book _ "The Myth of Russian Collusion" _ had gone to the printer in late January, they said. The book has been available on Amazon.com since Feb. 19. FBI agents arrested Stone on Jan. 25.
Stone, a sometime adviser to President Donald Trump, has been charged with lying to Congress about his contact with WikiLeaks and its principal, Julian Assange, during the 2016 presidential election. He is also accused of witness tampering and obstructing an investigation. He has pleaded not guilty.
The case is U.S. v. Stone, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia (Washington).
