Roger Stone aide must testify before Mueller grand jury at 'earliest date available,' judge says

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump ally Roger Stone: It's possible I'll be indicted President Trump ally Roger stone admitted it’s possible he could be indicted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Veuer's Sam Berman has the full story.

An aide of former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone was ordered Thursday to testify before special counsel Robert Mueller's grand jury, losing a bid for a judge to dismiss the investigation as unconstitutional.

Andrew Miller's bid to block subpoenas for records and a grand jury testimony centered on the belief Mueller's appointment was "unconstitutional." That quest was shot down in a 93-page ruling Thursday by U.S. District Chief Judge Beryl Howell.

Miller briefly served as an assistant to Stone during the 2016 presidential campaign, reportedly handling media interviews. He and his attorney, Paul Kamenar, argued Mueller "wields too much power with too little accountability", which is detailed in the ruling.

Miller was not named in the ruling but Kamenar told USA TODAY it was his client, explaining they may appeal the decision.

"We’re of course disappointed in the ruling," Kamenar said, adding they were encouraged that the court "took it seriously" as evidenced by the lengthy ruling.

Kamenar would not answer questions about documents subpoenaed or whether there had been any negotiations with Mueller's team on an interview and potential questions.

Roger Stone admits to meeting a Russian during the campaign Former campaign consultant and close associate to President Trump, Roger Stone, admitted to meeting with a Russian man in May 2016 claiming to have “dirt” that could help Trump be elected. Veuer's Maria Mercedes Galuppo has more.

Howell ordered Miller must appear before the grand jury "at the earliest date available" and hand over records that were subpoenaed "promptly."

"Multiple statutes authorize the Special Counsel's appointment, and the official who appointed the Special Counsel had power to do so,” Howell wrote in the decision.

Investigators have been interested in Stone and his contacts with Guccifer 2.0, a Twitter account prosecutors contend was run by Russians and released hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee.

He has said the conversations between him and owners of the account were "benign based on its content context and timing."

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Miller's request was just the latest to question Mueller's broad authority in the investigation since he was appointed to head the now two-year investigation.

But, Howell became the third federal judge to rule the special counsel investigation is indeed lawful and constitutional.

There is one outstanding challenge, which was raised by lawyers for Concord Management and Consulting, one of the three Russian companies indicted by Mueller in February.