Roger Stone, President Trump’s embattled former election campaign adviser, asked the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday to release a transcript of his interview with lawmakers sought by special counsel Robert Mueller’s office.
An attorney for Mr. Stone wrote Rep. Devin Nunes, California Republican and the committee’s chairman, in light of the panel reportedly voting to send a transcript of the September 2017 interview to Mr. Mueller’s team investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 race.
“Without regard to any decision or action the Committee may take in response to a request by the [special counsel’s office], or any other person or agency, for a copy of the Interview transcript, either in whole or in part, Mr. Stone hereby demands the full and immediate release to the general public of the Transcript, such that the American citizenry and the world are able to evaluate for themselves,” lawyer Grant Smith wrote Mr. Nunes.
“The Committee’s rules allow for such a release, if the Committee is so inclined, by a simple majority vote of the Committee,” he added.
Spokespeople for both Mr. Nunes and Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat and the committee’s likely incoming chairman, declined to comment when reached by The Washington Times.
Mr. Stone said Thursday that he spoke for 4.5 hours when he voluntarily testified before the committee last year as part of the panel’s own probe into the 2016 race. House leadership ended that investigation in March 2018, but Mr. Mueller’s office is still investigating the election and allegations of Russian interference.
Rep. Mike Conaway, Texas Republican and member of the House panel, said the committee held a voice vote Thursday in favor of sending the transcript to Mr. Mueller’s office, CNN reported.
“Access to this record, such that Mr. Stone may publicly present it in his own defense against reckless partisan mischaracterizations of his testimony, is a matter of fundamental fairness,” Mr. Smith wrote Mr. Nunes.
“Further, providing him this full record is the only means to guaranteeing Mr. Stone the most basic due process rights owed to any American citizen,” he added.
A former FBI director, Mr. Mueller was appointed in 2017 to lead the Department of Justice’s investigation into Russian election interference. The special counsel’s office has subsequently contacted several people directly tied to Mr. Stone, Mr. Trump’s former campaign adviser and longtime confidant.
Multiple witnesses interviewed by the special counsel’s team said investigators seemed interested in whether Mr. Stone played a part in the publication of stolen Democratic Party documents during the 2016 race.
Mr. Stone has denied wrongdoing.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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