Trump crony Roger Stone’s trial promises political drama

WASHINGTON (AP) — Roger Stone, a longtime Republican provocateur and former confidant of President Donald Trump, is going to trial over charges related to his alleged efforts to exploit the Russian-hacked Hillary Clinton emails for political gain.

The trial, which begins Tuesday in Washington, promises to revive the specter of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation as the impeachment inquiry against Trump proceeds in the House.

Stone’s indictment in January was an offshoot of Mueller’s investigation. He is accused of lying to lawmakers about WikiLeaks, tampering with witnesses and obstructing a House intelligence committee probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election.

Stone is a self-proclaimed dirty trickster with a flair for public drama, and he has consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated.