The Four Horsemen of the Trump Apocalypse: Roger Stone, Wikileaks, Guccifer 2.0 and Russian Military Intelligence GRU

John Kakanis and Jason Sullivan are two[1] Roger Stone aides that were subpoenaed a couple of months ago by Special Counsel Mueller.[2] During the 2016 Presidential campaign, Roger Stone[3] made constant braggadocios statements about his ties to Guccifer 2.0, the DNC hacker, and Wikileaks. While Roger Stone has attempted to downplay his communication with Guccifer 2.0, he has admitted to having been in contact with the DNC hacking suspect.[4]

July 13, 2018, Special Counsel Mueller indicts 12 Russian Intelligence Officers that work for the GRU — Russia’s military intelligence agency. This was a military operation conducted by the Russian state. The indictment details GRU officers using the moniker Guciffer 2.0 that disseminated the hacked material through Wikileaks.^[5]

Screenshot of Roger Stone’s Twitter account. March 11, 2017.

We also know that Special Counsel Mueller has been asking questions about whether or not President Trump knew of the hacked DNC emails before they were released. They’ve asked about the relationship between GOP operative Roger Stone and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and why Trump took policy positions favorable to Russia.[6] WikiLeaks should be considered an extension of Russia’s 2016 disinformation campaign,[7] we know that WikiLeaks shared material hacked by the GRU.[8]

Several close confidants of Roger Stone have been subpoenaed by Special Counsel Mueller. Credico is the alleged liaison between Stone and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

A few months ago long time Roger Stone friend and former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg was subpoenaed by Special Counsel Mueller, it asks for all communications/correspondence with Carter Page, Corey Lewandowski, Donald J. Trump, Hope Hicks, Keith Schiller, Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Roger Stone, and Steve Bannon dating back to 2015.[9]

Roger Stone has been a target of this investigation for quite some time, he has tried to get ahead of a potential indictment by claiming he is ready to be indicted and that the Russian collusion scandal is a hoax.[10]

A report by the Wall Street Journal confirmed that Roger Stone sought damaging information on Hillary Clinton from Julian Assange during the campaign.[11] The liaison between Assange and Stone, radio host and comedian Credico, was subpoenaed by Special Counsel Mueller in November of 2017.[12]

A third aide to Roger Stone was subpoenaed by Special Counsel Mueller and has been found in contempt of court. Andrew Miller is attempting to question the authority of Mueller, however, Special Counsel has provided a sweeping legal defense of his authority citing over a century’s worth of precedent.

Andrew Miller attempted to fight the subpoena by questioning the authority of Special Counsel Mueller and lost with a scathing 90 page opinion from the judge. He continued to refuse the subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury and was found in contempt of court.[13] Andrew Miller is now using the appeal of a contempt order to renew their challenge the authority of Special Counsel Mueller.[14] In response, Special Counsel Mueller provided a sweeping legal defense of his authority citing over a century worth of examples and precedence that had been established.[15]

Earlier this month Andrew Miller’s lawyer argued that Special Counsel Mueller’s authority was unconstitutional and laid out a plan on how the newly appointed (and likely unconstitutional) Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker could end Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.[16] It’s concerning that Andrew Miller’s lawyer has been arguing ways in which Acting Attorney General could end Mueller’s investigation, moreover, Miller’s attorney has claimed that Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh would agree with the interpretation that Special Counsel Mueller is acting as a “rogue prosecutor.”

Sources:

1. Reuters — Exclusive: Special Counsel subpoenas another Stone aide in Russia probe — sources
2. Reuters — Mueller issues grand jury subpoenas to Trump adviser’s social media consultant
3. New York Times — Roger Stone, the ‘Trickster’ on Trump’s Side, Is Under F.B.I. Scrutiny
4. Chicago Tribune — Ex-Trump adviser Roger Stone swapped messages with DNC hacking suspect
5. U.S. Justice Department Federal Indictment by a Grand Jury — 12 Russian Intelligence Officers and their role with election interference
6. NBC — Mueller asking if Trump knew about hacked Democratic emails before release
7. Foreign Policy — WikiLeaks Turned Down Leaks on Russian Government During U.S. Presidential Campaign
8. CBS — How did WikiLeaks become associated with Russia?
9. The Hill — Mueller subpoenas witness for documents tied to Trump, campaign associates: reports
10. NPR — Trump Adviser Roger Stone Says He’s ‘Prepared’ If Indicted By Special Counsel Muell
11. Wall Street Journal — Roger Stone Sought Information on Clinton From Assange, Emails Show
12. New York Times — Comedian Is Subpoenaed in Inquiry on Russia Meddling
13. Law & Crime — Roger Stone Aide Who Ignored Mueller’s Grand Jury Subpoena Wanted to Be ‘Held in Contempt’
14. Courthouse News Service — Roger Stone Aide Focuses Contempt Appeal on Mueller
15. Politico — Mueller defends authority, hearkens back to Garfield administration
16. CNN — Mueller’s team defends his authority in court amid Justice Department shakeup