After hearing from Stone’s lawyer and taking a break, the judge announced: “unsurprisingly, I have a lot to say.”
She began by contextualizing Stone’s obstructive conduct within the wider investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. She emphasized that Stone’s crimes were not about Russian collusion nor about political activities. Walking through the documentary evidence, she first analyzed the false statements charge—noting that, at the time the House Intelligence Committee referred Stone’s statements to the Department of Justice, the committee was led by Republican Rep. Devin Nunes (Calif.). Stone said he had no record of communications with his intermediary with Wikileaks, but there were “at least 1,500 texts or emails with Credico alone.” Jackson noted that Stone’s false statements were so blatant that they could not be chalked up to “equivocation” or “confusion.” As charged in Count Six of the indictment, Jackson noted, Stone said he never discussed his “intermediary” with WikiLeaks with anyone on the Trump campaign, but sworn testimony from former campaign officials Steve Bannon and Rick Gates told a different story. As to the witness tampering charge, the judge noted that she appreciated Credico’s letter on behalf of Stone, in which he indicated that he did not believe Stone would follow through on his threat. She repeated the concerns about Credico’s prior testimony, in which he indicated concern, and said that Credico’s thoughts on the matter now didn’t change the persistent nature of Stone’s “corrupt, unlawful campaign” to interfere with the testimony of another witness. In discussing the first charge, obstructing an official proceeding, Jackson discussed the seriousness of the investigation that Stone obstructed, quoting a joint statement from Nunes and then-ranking member Adam Schiff that described the investigation as a “national security necessity.”...
Returning to the trial, she emphasized that Stone’s sentence would have nothing to do with “who his friends are or who his enemies are." But would rest solely on the seriousness and significance of his conduct. Stone’s conduct, said the judge, was “not a joke.” It had direct bearing on Congress’s ability to investigate election interference. And, she noted, "Witnesses do not get to decide for themselves whether Congress is entitled to the facts." She added, “there was nothing unfair, phony or disgraceful about the investigation or the prosecution.”
“Truth still matters,” said the judge. “Everyone loses if Stone’s activities go unpunished.” The “dismay and disgust” at Stone’s dishonesty and obstruction should “transcend party,” she said. Truth mattered not only to her, but to Congress, the Department of Justice, the jurors who “served with integrity under difficult circumstances,” and the American people.
This stops now or mod action will be taken. 
