Ali Schmitz | Treasure Coast Newspapers

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Recently indicted longtime political adviser and friend of President Donald Trump, Roger Stone made an appearance in Vero Beach earlier this month.

Stone, a Republican political operative who has worked on dozens of campaigns, spoke at the Republican Club of Indian River meeting Jan. 3 at Grand Harbor Golf and Beach Club.

Stone has referred to himself as a "dirty trickster," and is best known for using opposition research to take down political opponents. He's become notorious for his flamboyant and unpredictable behavior and making outlandish, and often misleading, comments about those who oppose him or his clients.

Stone started his career working with Richard Nixon, eventually working with Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and Trump. He's based in Miami, and makes regular appearances at Republican club meetings and book signings across the country.

Stone received increased notoriety after the release of a Netflix documentary focused on his career, "Get Me Roger Stone," was released in 2017.

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Stone also previously worked alongside former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who was convicted of financial fraud in August and has come under fire for his ties to Russia, while founding powerful lobbying firm Black, Manafort, Stone & Kelly in the 1980s. The firm was best known for representing dictators and other controversial foreign clients.

Stone's appearance came as he faced increased scrutiny over his role in the 2016 election. Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta and other Democrats have accused Stone of knowing about Wikileaks receiving hacked emails from the Clinton campaign prior to their release.

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Stone has denied knowing about the email hack or having any connections to Russian intelligence, but has said he tried contact WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange to get incriminating information about Hillary Clinton, but never received a response.

"I've never done anything in politics that was outside the norms of my colleagues and contemporaries," Stone told ABC News last month.

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U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who's set to take over the House Intelligence Committee this week, has accused Stone of lying to the committee about his contact with Assange.

As the Senate investigates Stone's ties to the leaked emails, Stone has declined to testify to senators. His lawyer has said Stone intends to "plead the fifth," invoking a right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution that allows someone to avoid questions that might incriminate them.

Stone is the first of a series of Trump-aligned consultants scheduled to appear in Vero Beach this month.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and Trump deputy campaign manager David Bossie were scheduled for a Trump Team 2020 - IRC Chapter event on Jan. 11 at Quail Valley Golf Club.