Hey Roger Stone, I’ve got some bad news for you

For a guy who was just arrested, and who is facing seven virtually unbeatable felony charges, Roger Stone seems to be having the time of his life. He’s suddenly landing more television interviews than he’s gotten in years. This is a guy who craves attention above all else, and for the moment he’s at the center of it. But I’ve got some bad news for him.

Roger Stone is getting his fifteen minutes of fame while he’s out on bail. But that’s more or less the whole reason Robert Mueller didn’t bother to fight Stone’s bail request. We all saw Mueller let Paul Manafort out on bail, even though he was more of a flight risk than Stone. Then we saw Manafort use his temporary freedom to further incriminate himself. Mueller is setting the same trap for Stone, and Stone seems eager to walk into it.

Stone is running around and striking Nixon poses, while insisting that what’s happening to him is – in a stunningly inappropriate use of the word – a “lynching.” If he’s being this brazen in plain view, imagine what antics he’s trying behind the scenes right now. We may not have to imagine for long, as it’s a matter of time before Mueller catches Stone doing something illegal to try to sabotage the charges against him, which will only result in even stronger charges against him.

Roger Stone should take a long hard look at the current fate of his longtime friend Paul Manafort, who’s rotting away in solitary confinement, with nothing resembling a life, no hope of ever getting out, and – perhaps most antithetical to Stone’s ambitions – rapidly dwindling relevance. Six months from now, Stone will be Manafort. Stone had better enjoy his final fifteen minutes while he still can.