Roger Stone, a longtime GOP operative and former campaign adviser to President Trump, called a Black radio host a racial slur on the air as the two debated Stone’s conviction for lying to Congress to protect Trump during the Russia investigation.
Stone was grilled on Saturday night by radio host Morris W. O’Kelly, known as Mo’Kelly, during The Mo’Kelly Show on right-leaning KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles.
The heated exchange happened after Stone claimed his federal conviction last year was the result of bias against himself and Trump.
“It was a jury of my political opponents,” Stone, 67, said of his trial.
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O’Kelly pushed back and told him that he was not a victim of bias in the criminal justice system. Instead, O’Kelly said Stone likely benefited from knowing the president, who earlier this month commuted his 40-month sentence.
“There are thousands of people treated unfairly daily,” O’Kelly said. “How your number just happened to come up in the lottery, I’m guessing it was more than just luck, Roger, right?”
Stone was silent for several seconds during the phone interview. Then he could be heard mumbling what sounded like “I don’t really feel like arguing with this Negro.”
It’s unclear if Stone was speaking to someone else in the room or if he was mumbling to himself.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” O’Kelly responded. “Roger? I’m sorry, what did you say? I’m sorry, you’re arguing with whom?”
Stone resumed speaking again after more than 40 seconds of quiet. He claimed his connection was poor.
“I was talking and you said something about Negro,” Kelly said. Stone then denied using the slur.
“I did not! You’re out of your mind,” he said. “You’re out of your mind.”
O’Kelly continued the interview and asked Stone if he plans to campaign for Trump. “As a private citizen, I will be active on the president’s behalf, writing, speaking, advocating,” Stone said.
O’Kelly later tweeted, “I’m nobody’s NEGRO.”
I'm nobody's NEGRO (The Roger Stone Podcast audio)https://t.co/9bMJOVGhgZ
— Mr. Mo'Kelly ??? (@MrMokelly) July 19, 2020
In November 2019, Stone was convicted on seven counts, including witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding, and making false statements to Congress during the investigation into whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.
Stone was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. But Trump commuted his sentence on July 10, just days before he was scheduled to begin serving his sentence.
Listen to the interview below. The exchange occurs shortly after the 13-minute mark.
