Special counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly zeroed in on evidence that suggests ex-Trump adviser Roger Stone and right-wing conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi knew in advance that hacked emails belonging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman would be released by WikiLeaks. NBC News reports Thursday that Mueller’s investigators have reviewed text messages to members of team Trump in which both Stone and Corsi—who Mueller has been investigating for months as the potential backchannel between Stone and WikiLeaks—appear to take credit for the release of the hacked emails.
Meanwhile, it emerged that Stone was working to secure a presidential pardon for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange last January, according to texts he sent to comedian Randy Credico that were cited Thursday by Mother Jones. “I am working with others to get JA a blanket pardon,” Stone reportedly texted Credico on January 6. “It’s very real and very possible. Don’t fuck it up.” Credico claims that Stone often discussed his efforts to secure a pardon for Assange, and at one point floated the idea of working with Fox News analyst Andrew Napolitano—which Napolitano flatly denies. Mother Jones notes that Stone’s pardon efforts could be crucial to Mueller’s probe, as they may constitute an attempt to interfere with the investigation.
