Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has had many advisors, one of whom used to be Roger Stone. Stone is a long time political consultant, lobbyist, and strategist.
He is best known for his use of opposition research in favor of GOP candidates. Stone founded a lobbying agency with Paul Manafort in 1980 known as Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly.
Stone gave a speech in August to the Southwest Broward Republican Organization, during which, this question was asked about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
It addressed his threat to release damaging correspondence that could be big trouble for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Here’s the question:
“With regard to the October surprise, what would be your forecast on that given what Julian Assange has intimated he’s going to do?”
Stone’s answer was:
“Well, it could be any number of things. I actually have communicated with Assange. I believe the next tranche of his documents pertain to the Clinton Foundation but there’s no telling what the October surprise may be.”
Stone says in another interview:
“An intermediary met with him in London recently who is a friend of mine and a friend of his, a believer in freedom. And I am assured that the mother lode is coming Wednesday. It wouldn’t be an October surprise if I told you what it was but I have reason to believe that it is devastating because people with political judgment who are aware of the subject matter tell me this.”
When email is safe it’s an excellent way to communicate privately with people from around the world. However, when email accounts are hacked, their firewalls dissolved and privacy invaded, they become a digital file cabinet of deep secrets.
The so called “communication” Stone has had with Assange could be a problem only if whatever the October surprise is cannot be countered with an explanation.
The fact is WikiLeaks is good at finding information and Roger Stone is good at using that information to shed the worst light possible on his subject.
Watch Stone say he’s been in touch with Assange: