Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham Wednesday slammed the FBI’s predawn raid on the home of Trump confidant Roger Stone in a letter to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.
Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, demanded Mr. Wray justify the tactics used to apprehend the longtime GOP adviser.
“I am sure these tactics would be standard procedure for the arrest of a violent offender, I have questions regarding their necessity in this case,” Mr. Graham wrote.
On Friday, more than a dozen armed agents clad in tactical gear swarmed Mr. Stone’s home. He was arrested on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing the congressional probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. The charges were lodged by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Mr. Stone pleaded not guilty to charges before a federal judge in Washington on Tuesday. He has criticized the FBI’s tactics in media appearance after his arrest, calling it “over-the-top.”
He also insisted the raid was unnecessary, saying he would have voluntarily surrounded through his lawyer.
Mr. Graham highlighted Mr. Stone’s willingness to surrender in the letter.
“I am leery that a subject of the special counsel’s investigation, who had retained counsel had publicly stated that he believed that he would at some point be indicted, and was apparently willing to surrender voluntarily, was arrested in a pre-dawn raid at his home,” Mr. Graham wrote.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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