House Intel votes to release Roger Stone transcript to Mueller
Reporting by Olivia Gazis and Julia Kimani Burnham
The House Intelligence Committee in a voice vote with no dissensions, voted unanimously to release the transcript of Roger Stone's interview to the special counsel, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The Stone transcript is expected to be transmitted to Mueller's office later Thursday.
Special counsel Robert Mueller had asked the committee to provide the transcript of its interview with Stone, a prominent Trump ally, an official familiar with the matter told CBS News. Earlier this month, Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the panel, said Mueller should be provided with Stone's testimony for evidence of perjury.
In a statement, Stone insisted there was no "proof or evidence" that he hacked Democrats' emails. Stone called the request "semantical word games, partisan hair splitting non material perjury traps."
The news about Mueller's request was first reported by The Washington Post.
Stone testified in Sept. 2017 as part of the now-shuttered House Intelligence Committee's Russia investigation. He has previously released written testimony he gave to the House Intelligence Committee before the that interview.
Ahead of the 2016 election, Stone publicly praised WikiLeaks and made comments that coincided with the release of prominent Democrats' emails. In the written testimony, Stone wrote that he had no "advanced knowledge of the source or actual content of the WikiLeaks disclosures regarding Hillary Clinton."
The special counsel's office has not had usable access to the committee's transcripts, though the committee has already submitted dozens of transcripts to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for a classification review.
Representatives for Democrats and Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee both declined to comment.
Mr. Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty last month to making a false statement to Congress.
Jerome Corsi, a confidante of Stone's, has indicated he had advanced knowledge about the release of the hacked emails by WikiLeaks, according to documents obtained by CBS News. Corsi told CBS News last month that he is negotiating a plea deal with the special counsel's office.
Stone and President Trump's relationship goes back decades, but Mr. Trump's aides have downplayed any connection to the campaign.