CNN: Stone Won't Give in to Mueller's Pressure on Finances

Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators have been looking into the finances, including tax returns, of President Donald Trump's longtime ally and former campaign adviser Roger Stone, CNN reported.

According to CNN, which cited an unnamed source, the Mueller team is questioning Stone's associates, and recently subpoenaed John Kakanis, who has worked as Stone's assistant.

Stone lashed out at the inquiry, saying he will neither be silenced — or turn on Trump.

"The special counsel having found no evidence or proof whatsoever of Russian collusion, trafficking in allegedly hacked emails with WikiLeaks or advance knowledge of the publication of (then-Clinton campaign chair John) Podesta's emails now seems to be combing through every molecule of my existence including my personal life, political activities and business affairs to conjure up some offense to charge me with either to silence me or induce me to testify against the President," Stone told CNN.

"I have no intention of being silenced or turning my back on President Trump."

Sam Nunberg, who has called Stone his "mentor," also criticized the scrutiny.

"They are trying to go after Roger's finances, to get another ridiculous indictment that has nothing to do with Russia," said Nunberg, a former Trump campaign aide who worked with Stone on the early stages of Trump's presidential bid, and who has been questioned by Mueller's team as well as the grand jury, CNN reported.

"If they want to continue to go after non-related financial matters where they're picking apart associates of the President, then by all means," Nunberg told CNN. "Because they continue to delegitimize themselves and whatever they ultimately release in their findings."

Stone has said Mueller's team has contacted at least eight of his current or former associates. CNN reported Stone has described them as “all young people who have no knowledge about my personal, political or business activities."

According to CNN, in addition to Kakanis, Mueller's team has subpoenaed Jason Sullivan, Stone's former social media adviser, to appear before the grand jury. His lawyer, Knut Johnson, told CNN that Kakanis "has done nothing wrong and done everything right, and he's terrific at what he did."

The special counsel's office has already interviewed Nunberg and former Trump campaign adviser Michael Caputo. Both men were pressed for information regarding Stone in their interviews, CNN reported.

"The special counsel is going to be woefully disappointed when they find out they have absolutely no proof and Roger Stone did not collude with Russians. But that will not stop them from creating a crime simply because he's close to the President of the United States," Caputo told CNN. "This is a punishment strategy."

• WSJ: Emails Show Roger Stone Sought Information on Clinton From Assange
• Stone Says Indictment Threat Is Real But 'Trumped Up'