WH Official Marc Short: Roger Stone ‘Should Be Prosecuted,’ Trump’s Frustrated at Lack of ‘Equitable Justice’

Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, defended President Donald Trump’s comments about hoping to see Roger Stone get exonerated on Fox News Sunday.

Chris Wallace reviewed the ‘treasure trove of evidence” against Stone and asked, “Why does the president think he should be exonerated?”

“You know it’s possible he’ll get exonerated, Chris,” Short said.

“I’m asking you, why does the president think he should be?” Wallace asked.

“I don’t know Roger Stone. I think that lying to federal investigators, he should be prosecuted for,” Short responded, “and that’s what the Department of Justice did. But I think the president’s frustration is you see a Department of Justice that comes out with the original sentencing guidelines four years beyond what it’s supposed to be for sentencing guidelines for his offenses. And yet when you see people like Andy McCabe, who also lied to federal investigators, referred for investigation, what they get is a lucrative contract at CNN. That doesn’t seem to be equitable justice. I think that’s what the president’s primary frustration is.”

Wallace pointed out that Bill Barr called the Stone case a “righteous prosecution” and more directly asked Short, “When the president talks about wanting to see Roger Stone get off, to be exonerated, and even raises the possibility that he might pardon him, is that because Roger Stone protected him in the Mueller investigation?”

Short again said Trump’s frustration is about wanting an equitable system, reiterating that “people who lie to Congress should be prosecuted” before adding, “Those who also were trying to prevent this president from being elected inside their positions at the Department of Justice, lied about it, leaked information, the inspector general refers them for prosecution and what they get is a lucrative contract at a TV network. How is that equitable justice?”

You can watch above, via Fox News Sunday.