Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) assured former President Donald Trump’s adviser Roger Stone that he would not have to serve time in prison because the “boss” would clear him, a hot mic recording revealed.
Stone was reassured by Gaetz that Trump would commute his sentence or pardon him fully during a Trump event in October 2019, but he predicted that Stone would be found guilty at his trial on charges of obstructing a congressional investigation, according to a recording obtained by the Washington Post.
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“The boss still has a very favorable view of you,” Gaetz said in the recording. “I don’t think the big guy can let you go down for this.”
The interaction occurred backstage at AMPFest, a conference held by the pro-Trump group American Priority at one of Trump’s properties in South Florida. Many reporters were filming interviews, prompting Gaetz not to disclose additional information on how he was working on getting Stone a pardon. The Florida congressman said he was not aware that he was being recorded by a Danish film crew working on a documentary about Stone, according to the report.
“Since there are many, many recording devices around right now, I do not feel in a position to speak freely about the work I’ve already done on that subject,” Gaetz said, according to the recording.
The congressman can also be heard telling Stone that he was “f***ed” when it came to the trial because of the political leanings in heavily Democratic-leaning Washington, D.C.
Gaetz also referenced redacted portions of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which invoked Stone’s name.
“They’re going to do you because you’re not gonna have a defense,” the congressman told Stone, according to the Post.
The Justice Department had shown varying amounts of the redacted material to congressional leaders, including members of the House Judiciary Committee, of which Gaetz is a member.
Both of Gaetz’s predictions turned out to be true. Stone was convicted and sentenced to 40 months in prison for obstruction of justice and 12 months for five other counts to be served concurrently, but Trump pardoned him in 2020 before he left office.
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The congressman’s statements reflect his beliefs at the time as well as his current view, Gaetz’s office told the outlet. The Washington Examiner has reached out to Gaetz’s team for comment.
The recordings were part of the full-length Danish documentary A Storm Foretold, expected to be released later this year.
