President Donald Trump early Thursday hinted at a potential pardon for his confidant Roger Stone, posting a video clip at the top of his Twitter page of Fox News host Tucker Carlson arguing in favor of Stone.
"President Trump could end this travesty in an instant with a pardon," Carlson said on his show Wednesday night. "There are indications tonight that he will do that."
Trump on Tuesday said he had not thought about pardoning Stone or his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, but he repeated his stance that "Stone has been treated unfairly."
Stone's sentencing will take place Thursday at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Initially, the prosecution had suggested Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentence him to 7-9 years in prison, but the recommendation was lowered on the order of the Justice Department.
Trump did not add a comment to Carlson's video clip. Carlson noted that Trump has already this week pardoned "junk bond king" Michael Milken and former New York City Police Department Commissioner Bernie Kerik, and commuted the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
"Democrats will become unhinged if Trump pardons Roger Stone, but they're unhinged anyway," Carlson said. "What has happened to Roger Stone should never happen to anyone in this country of any political party ... fixing it is the right thing to do."
Another Fox News personality, Judge Andrew Napolitano, said on "Fox and Friends" that Trump might pardon Stone as early as Thursday, taking jurisdiction away from the judge.
"I'm suggesting he might pardon Roger Stone today because the minute he signs that pardon, this judge is divested of jurisdiction in the case and Stone walks out of the courtroom," Napolitano said Thursday morning. "The conviction is not final until she sentences him and signs the sentencing papers ... only a pardon can fairly undo this mess."
Stone can appeal his conviction, Napolitano said, adding that he does not know if she'll hand down a stiff sentence, but he pointed out that she has shown animus toward him by ordering a gag order on him after he was found guilty.
"He earns his living by public speaking and she won't let him speak publicly," said Napolitano. "Remember this phrase, 'Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech?'"
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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