WSJ's Bill McGurn: Roger Stone “did everything that they accused him of” but he shouldn't have been prosecuted
McGurn: Stone “is a victim of the politics”
Published
Citation From the February 21, 2020, edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom
ED HENRY (CO-ANCHOR): So, the door open on a pardon, but it's clear the president would prefer that maybe there's a new trial and Stone is exonerated.
BILL MCGURN (WSJ COLUMNIST): Exonerated or the department doesn't decide to prosecute against him. Look, a pardon is not necessarily for -- it's not for just innocent people, right? It's a power we give to the president to temper justice that you might think is in accord with the guidelines but just not fair, it's disproportionate. And he has that power and he can use it, of course it carries a political price. Look, I think Roger Stone did everything that they accused him of doing, misleading congress, threatening a witness -- I'm not sure how serious that was -- I think he did it all, but I don't think he should ever have been prosecuted. There's a lot of discretion, and I think he's a victim of the politics --
HENRY: A lot of Democrats like Chuck Schumer disagree, saying this is now going to provide a green light to the president's accomplices. That debate will rage on.