Roger Stone

Roger Joseph Stone Jr., born on August 27, 1952, in Norwalk, Connecticut, developed an interest in politics early in life. As a child, he volunteered for Barry Goldwater’s 1964 campaign, drawn to conservative ideals. He later attended George Washington University, leaving after one year in 1972 to work for Richard Nixon’s Committee to Re-elect the President. His early career involved a range of political activities, including intelligence gathering on rival campaigns. Stone helped found the National Conservative Political Action Committee in 1975, a New Right organization that pioneered independent expenditure political advertising. His influence grew through his work on Ronald Reagan’s 1976 presidential campaign, culminating in his election as president of the Young Republicans in 1977, a campaign managed by his friend Paul Manafort.

Throughout the 1980s, Stone served as chief strategist for Thomas Kean’s gubernatorial campaigns in New Jersey (1981, 1985) while maintaining an advisory role for former President Richard Nixon. In 1980, Stone co-founded Black, Manafort & Stone (later Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly), a prominent political consulting and lobbying firm. This firm represented a diverse client base, including foreign governments and high-profile corporations like Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and Donald Trump’s casino business. Stone played a senior advisory role in Jack Kemp’s 1988 presidential campaign and later advised Arlen Specter’s 1996 presidential bid. His connection with Donald Trump deepened over the years, with Stone first suggesting Trump run for president in 1998.

Stone’s career also includes campaign management for Donald Trump’s exploratory presidential campaign in 2000 and an advisory role for Al Sharpton’s 2004 Democratic primary campaign. During the 2000 Florida recount, he assisted with public relations, a period marked by the “Brooks Brothers riot.” Stone’s involvement in the 2016 Trump presidential campaign is notable; although he officially left in August 2015, he remained an informal adviser and media surrogate. The 2017 Netflix documentary, “Get Me Roger Stone,” explored his life and career, further highlighting his contentious and influential role in American politics.