Judge kicks Roger Stone off social media

Roger Stone (Fox News video screenshot)

A judge ordered Republican operative Roger Stone, a longtime associate of Donald Trump, to stop using social media because he violated a court's gag order.

But he doesn't have to go to jail.

Politico reported Tuesday that U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson imposed the penalty after determining that some of Stone's Instagram posts "ran afoul of a court order to not comment on his case."

Stone was indicted last winter by special counsel Robert Mueller for lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering.

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Mueller was assigned to investigate claims of Trump-Russia campaign collusion. He found no evidence of collusion and did not refer obstruction charges.

But several people targeted in the probe, including Stone, have become collateral casualties.

Judge Jackson ordered Stone not to use Instagram, Twitter or Facebook to comment on any topic.

"During a contentious Tuesday hearing, she addressed about a dozen social media posts and other comments Stone has made dating back to February that government prosecutor Jonathan Kravis in court argued 'clearly violate' the gag order," Politico reported.

Kravis recommended a "complete social media ban," and the judge agreed.

But she said she wasn't inclined to revoke bond and insist he go to jail before his trial this fall.

The judge was appointed by President Obama, whose Justice Department and FBI used a political opposition-research document funded partly by Hillary Clinton's campaign to obtain warrants to spy on Trump's campaign.

The origin of the Russia probe is now under review by the Trump Justice Department.

Jackson originally said Stone could talk about his case as long as he didn't say anything in the vicinity of her Washington courtroom.

But then Stone apologized for posting an image of what appeared to be crosshairs over the judge's image, and she added additional restrictions.

Stone's lawyer raised doubt about whether any of the latest postings had crossed any boundaries.

Other comments were explained as criticism of reporting.

CNBC reported Stone was out on $250,000 bond.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled for trial in November.

The 66-year-old originally was subjected to a partial gag order in February.

WND reported in June one of Stone's Instagram posts called for former Obama CIA director John Brennan to be hanged for treason.

Stone said the charges against him are political and vowed to fight the charges of obstruction, false statements and witness tampering.

Stone has questioned the Mueller team's tactics, including the distribution of a news release on Stone's case prior to informing his attorneys of the charges.