Judge in Roger Stone case orders Tuesday phone hearing

The judge overseeing longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone’s trial ordered both the defense and prosecution to appear at a phone hearing Tuesday after all four Justice Department prosecutors withdrew from the case.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered the hearing Sunday following the prosecutors’ withdrawal, which came after Attorney General William Barr overrode their recommendation of a seven- to nine-year sentence, Politico reported.

The withdrawal sparked accusations of political interference, particularly in light of President Trump’s tweets condemning Stone’s prosecution. Barr has denied Trump asked him to intervene but said in an interview last week that Trump tweeting about Justice Department matters was making his job more difficult.

Stone is set for sentencing Thursday on seven felony counts, including lying to investigators and witness tampering. Whether the sentencing will proceed as planned remains unclear after Stone’s lawyers moved for a new trial. Johnson rejected an earlier such motion in 2019.

On Friday, Jackson issued an order for the Justice Department to respond to the latest new trial motion, which is still sealed, by Tuesday at midnight, the publication reports. She has made no indication of any plans to inquire further into the prosecutors’ withdrawal despite the urging of some former Justice Department prosecutors.