Bombshell Text Messages Support Roger Stones Claims About WikiLeaks Backchannel
- New text messages show that Roger Stone learned about WikiLeaks plans to release Clinton-related emails through Randy Credico.
- The messages, which Stones lawyers extracted from an old phone on Wednesday, back up Stones claims about how he learned of WikiLeaks plans. The messages severely undercut Credicos denials that he was a source for Stone.
- Robert Mueller has been investigating whether Stone had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks plans to release emails stolen from John Podesta.
Text messages released on Wednesday appear to support Trump confidant Roger Stones testimony that a New York radio show host was his source for information about WikiLeaks plans to release information damaging to Hillary Clintons campaign.
“Julian Assange has kryptonite on Hillary,” Randy Credico wrote to Stone on Aug. 27, 2016, according to text messages that Stone provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
“You are not going to drag my name into this are you,” Credico wrote on Sept. 29, 2016, suggesting that he was worried that Stone would identify him as his source for public claims he was making about WikiLeaks plans.
“[B]ig news Wednesday,” Credico wrote on Oct. 1, 2016, days before WikiLeaks began releasing emails stolen from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. “Now pretend u dont know me.”
Credico also suggested in the texts that his source for some information about WikiLeaks was one of the groups lawyers, who he said was one of his “best friends.” Stone has long claimed that the lawyer, Margaret Ratner Kunstler, was a source for Credico. (RELATED: Roger Stones Attorney Recently Testified Before Mueller Grand Jury)
NBC News first reported details of the text exchanges.
Stones knowledge of WikiLeaks plans has been a central focus of special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Prosecutors have questioned numerous Stone associates to find out how the longtime political operative appeared to have advance knowledge that WikiLeaks would release information damaging to the Clinton campaign.
Stone, 66, reluctantly told the House Intelligence Committee in October 2017 that Credico was his back channel to WikiLeaks and Assange. But he has claimed that he did not know the source or content of the Clinton campaign emails. Credico has adamantly denied being Stones conduit, saying in numerous interviews over the past year that Stone was lying.
Randy Credico testified before Muellers grand jury on Sept. 7, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Credico also told CNN that his testimony to Muellers grand jury on Sept. 7 was consistent with his public denials about being Stones source.
Pointing to the text messages, Stone asserts that Credico “lied to the grand jury” if he indeed denied being Stones contact to Assange.
“These messages prove that Credico was the source who told me about the significance of the material that Assange announced he had on Hillary. It proves that Randys source was a woman lawyer,” Stone told TheDCNF.
Stone, who is the mens fashion editor for The Daily Caller, had struggled for months to provide evidence to back up his claims about Credico. The former friends had engaged in a he said-he said battle through various media outlets for months.
But Stone finally obtained the text messages, which he says is smoking gun evidence supporting his claims, after his lawyers were able to extract the communications from a cell phone he stopped using in 2016.
It is unclear whether Muellers team has also obtained the messages.
“Julian Assange has kryptonite on Hillary,” Credico wrote to Stone on Aug. 27, 2016.
An Aug. 27, 2016 text message from Randy Credico to Roger Stone is pictured. (Courtesy: Roger Stone)
Credico asked Stone not to identify him as the connection to Assange on Sept. 18, 2016.
“Just remember do not name me as your connection to Assange you had one before that you referred to,” he said.
A Sept. 18, 2016 text message from Randy Credico to Roger Stone is pictured. (Courtesy: Roger Stone)
Credico continued to express concerns that Stone would identify him as his link to Assange.
“You are not going to drag my name into this are you,” Credico wrote on Sept. 29, 2016.
“No,” Stone replied.
“Leave my name out Im [sic] going to be all screwed up today,” wrote Credico.
A Sept. 29, 2016 text message from Randy Credico to Roger Stone is pictured. (Courtesy: Roger Stone)
Credico provided Stone an update on Assanges plans days later.
“[B]ig news Wednesday,” he wrote to Stone on Oct. 1, 2016. “[N]ow pretend u dont know me.”
“U died 5 years ago,” Stone replied minutes later.
“[G]reat,” wrote Credico. “Hillarys campaign will die this week.”
An Oct. 1, 2016 text message from Randy Credico to Roger Stone is pictured. (Courtesy: Roger Stone)
Credico followed up two days later, telling Stone: “I think its [sic] on for tomorrow.”
Later that day, Assange held a highly anticipated press conference in which he announced that he would be releasing documents on a weekly basis through the election.
“Off the Record Hillary and her people are doing a full-court press they keep Assange from making the next dump,” wrote Credico, adding, “Thats all I can tell you on this line.”
He then asked Stone to “please leave my name out of it.”
Pictured are text messages. (Courtesy: Roger Stone)
Credico also told Stone that he was aware of Assanges contacts “Because Im best friends with [Assanges] lawyer and leave it at that and leave it alone.”
WikiLeaks began releasing Podestas emails on Oct. 7, 2016.
Muellers grand jury has recently heard testimony from two other witnesses who said Credico acknowledged being a source for Stone.
David Lugo, a filmmaker who has worked with Credico and Stone, testified on Oct. 19 that Credico told him on May 12, 2017 that he was Stones point of contact. Lugo told TheDCNF that he also testified that Credico threatened earlier this year, well before his testimony, to “put a bullet in my head” for speaking out in defense of Stone.
Tyler Nixon, a lawyer who has worked for Stone, testified on Nov. 2 that he was at a dinner party in mid-November 2017 when Credico acknowledged he was Stones source. Days after the dinner party, on Nov. 30, 2017, the news broke that Stone had identified Credico to the House Intelligence Committee.
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