Roger Stone
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Roger Stone is a Republican campaign consultant ([1]) and lobbyist.
He is either described as a "veteran political strategist" or as a "long-time dirty tricks operative," depending on one's political viewpoint.
In 1990, the New York Times described him as a "renowned infighter" (see[2]) and during the 2004 United States Presidential Campaign, CBS News described Stone as a "veteran Republican strategist" (see[3]).
With partners Charlie Black and Paul Manafort, he formed Black, Manafort, and Stone ([4]), a political consulting firm, described as "instrumental in the success of Ronald Reagan's 1984 campaign."
Stone served as Eastern Regional Political Director Of Ronald Reagan's Presidential Campaign in 1980 and 1984 after serving an earlier stint on Reagan's staff in 1976. Stone was recruited to work for Reagan by John P.Sears.
Stone went on to serve as Chief strategist for Governor Tom Kean's campaign for Governor of New Jersey in both 1981 and his re-election campaign in 1985.
According to Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, Stone is the "keeper of the Nixon flame" and was an advisor to the former President in his post-presidential years, serving as "Nixon's man in Washington". Stone was a protege of former Connecticut Governor John Davis Lodge who introduced the young Stone to then former Vice President Nixon in 1967.
According to Jeff Toobin in his "Too Close To Call" Stone was recruited by former Secretary of State James Baker to over-see the recount of the disputed Presidential election in Miami-Dade county in 2000. Stone is credited with the street demonstrations and eventual shut-down of the re-count in that privotal county - handing the Presidency to George W. Bush.
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[edit] Watergate
Roger Stone's first political involvement occurred at the age of 19 in the Watergate scandal, while working for the Committee to Re-elect the President AKA CREEP (see [5]).
[edit] George H.W. Bush Campaign, 1988
According to TIME, in the 1988 George H. W. Bush presidential campaign, Stone was involved with the Willie Horton advertisements targeted against Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis.[6] The Horton ad is credited by some as contributing to the defeat of Dukakis, by portraying him as soft on crime.
Stone was an associate of Republican strategist Lee Atwater.[7]
[edit] Chaired Specter Campaign 1995
In 1995, Stone was the president of Republican Senator Arlen Specter's campaign for the 1996 Republican Presidential nomination (see[8]). Specter withdrew early in the campaign season with less than 2% support.
[edit] Gambling Lobby
Stone was a lobbyist for Donald Trump on behalf of his casino business (see[9]) and was also involved in opposing expanded casino gambling in New York State, a position that brought him into conflict with Governor George Pataki (see[10]).
[edit] 2000 United States Presidential Campaign
Stone was accused of involvement in street demonstrations during the Florida election recount controversy associated with the election.
[edit] New York Governor's Race, 2002
In 2002, Stone was associated with the campaign of businessman Thomas Golisano for Governor of New York State (see[11],[12]).
[edit] 2004 North Carolina 5th District Republican Primary
In the Spring and Summer of 2004, two 527 groups that were associated with Roger Stone sent out mailings attacking Winston-Salem City Councilman Vernon Robinson during the primary race. Other mailings from one of the 527 groups promoted then-State Senator Virginia Foxx, who ultimately won the race.
[edit] 2004 United States Presidential Campaign
[edit] Al Sharpton
During the 2004 US Presidential Campaign, Al Sharpton responded to accusations that Stone was working on his campaign, stating "I've been talking to Roger Stone for a long time. That doesn't mean that he's calling the shots for me. Don't forget that Bill Clinton was doing more than talking to Dick Morris" ([13],[14]).
Critics cynically suggested that Stone was only working with Sharpton as a way to undermine the Democratic party's chances of winning the election. Sharpton denies that Stone had any influence over his campaign.
[edit] Kerry-Specter
During this period, Stone was also accused (see[15]) of responsibility for "Kerry-Specter" campaign materials that were circulated in Pennsylvania.
Such signs were considered controversial because they were seen as an effort to get Demcrats to who supported Kerry to vote for the moderate Specter in heavily Democratic Philadelphia.
[edit] Killian documents controversy
Allegations have also been made suggesting Stone's involvement in the Killian documents affair of the 2004 presidential election([16]), suggesting he was involved in indirectly supplying the forged documents to CBS News.
US Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Terry McAuliffe alleged that the forged documents were planted by Republican operatives who knew in advance that CBS would fail to authenticate them, creating a controversy designed to distract attention from Bush's service record by drawing attention to Bush's service record. The Republican blamed is usually Karl Rove but McAuliffe specifically identified Roger Stone as the perpetrator, without offering any evidence to support the allegation. Stone himself denied any involvement (see [17]).
[edit] Quoted For Gore?
Roger Stone was also quoted in an article entitled "The Timid Politics Of War" (3/16/07) by Newsweek's Howard Fineman, Mr. Stone is also referred to as a "...new right activist" who is quoted as saying "I'll vote for Gore if he runs", in an article about the odd politics leading us to the 2008 Presidential election. (see [18]).
[edit] See also
- Too Close to Call by Jeffrey Toobin, (ISBN 0-375-76107-1), for Roger Stone's involvement in the 2000 presidential election.
[edit] External link
- [19] Village Voice article
- [20] the StoneZONE website
