Roger Stone apologizes to judge for posting 'improper' photo on Instagram

Roger Stone may have been ordered to keep quiet in front of the federal courthouse in Washington, but he's not staying silent on Instagram, posting a picture on Monday of the judge overseeing his criminal trial next to a crosshair symbol.

Stone, a longtime Republican operative and adviser to President Trump, wrote in the caption that Special Counsel Robert Mueller used "legal trickery" to ensure his trial for lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstruction is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Stone, who has been hustling to raise money online to cover his legal bills, tagged his defense fund, and added the hashtag #fixisin.

BuzzFeed News contacted Stone, and he said it was a "random photo taken from the internet," and "any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the judge or disrespect court is categorically false." He later deleted the image, and filed a notice of apology with the court, saying the photograph and comment were "improper" and he "recognizes the impropriety and had it removed."