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Roger Stone, a political agent whose 40-month prison sentence was commuted this month by President Donald Trump, his longtime friend, used the racial slur “Black” in the air as he verbally clashed with a black radio announcer. based in Los Angeles.
The exchange occurred at Saturday’s Mo’Kelly Show, whose host Morris O’Kelly criticized Stone for his conviction for lying to Congress, manipulating witnesses, and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. to win the 2016 elections.
O’Kelly on his show’s website said, “Stone could have hit any pejorative, but unfortunately it was there,” adding that “Stone offered an unfiltered and unvarnished phrase expression of how he saw the journalist interview him.”
O’Kelly characterized “Black” as the “low-calorie version of the N-Word.”
Stone’s attorney said Sunday that he was unaware of the broadcast and had no immediate comment.
Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison, but Trump commuted that sentence on July 10, just days before Stone was to appear in detention.
As O’Kelly claimed that Stone’s commutation was due to his friendship with Trump, Stone’s voice fades, but you can hear him say he was “arguing with this nigger.”
O’Kelly asks Stone to repeat the comment, but Stone is momentarily silent.
The first part of Stone’s statement was not entirely audible, but the radio show transcribed the complete sentences as: “I can’t believe I’m arguing with this nigger.”
O’Kelly insisted that Stone respond.
“I’m sorry you’re arguing with whom? I thought we were just having a lively conversation. What happened? “O’Kelly said.” You said something about ‘Black’. “
Stone said no. “You are crazy,” he said.
The interview then continued.
In a statement, Stone defended himself by saying that anyone familiar with him “knows I despise racism!”
“Sir. O’Kelly needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because I never called him black at all,” Stone said, using lowercase for the word. “That said, Mr. O’Kelly needs to spend a bit. more time studying black history and institutions. The word black is far from being an insult.
He cited the United Negro College Fund and the historical use of the word.
At one time, “black” was common in the American vernacular to describe African Americans. In the late 1960s, however, the word was scorned by activists in favor of descriptors like “Black.”
These days, the old-fashioned word is widely viewed as derogatory in most uses.
In his statement, Stone noted that part of the program’s audio was confusing and alleged that there was another dialogue from another radio program and that its sound was cut off.
During the show, Stone said the president acted out of compassion and that the jury that weighed his case was tainted.
“I didn’t get a fair trial,” said Stone.
“My life was in immediate danger,” Stone said, saying he was at risk of being infected with the coronavirus in prison. “I think the President did this as an act of compassion. He did it as an act of mercy. “
