Roger Stone, a Republican political consultant, is refusing to testify before the House Select Committee investigating the Jan 6 Capitol Riot. Stone communicated through his lawyer that he is invoking the Fifth Amendment in declining to testify.

Fox News reports:

“In response to the recently served subpoena from the Select Committee, Mr. Stone has directed me to advise you that, as further discussed below, pursuant to the rights afforded him by the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, he declines to be deposed or produce documents,” Stone attorney Grant J. Smith wrote to the committee.

Smith added that the Select Committee’s demand for documents is “overreaching” and concluded the request is too “wide-ranging to be deemed anything other than a fishing expedition.”

“Moreover, responding to the extensive requests requires the preparation of a detailed index and log describing the contents of the production, which in and of itself would be protected from disclosure by the U.S. Constitution,” the letter continued. “Thus given that Mr. Stone has been characterized in the press as under investigation by the DOJ and the FBI, responding to the document demand, which is plainly designed to elicit information about the existence of potentially incriminating evidence, would amount to a testimonial act, defeating the privilege being asserted.”

The letter also stated that the committee’s goal of examining events leading up to the January 6th riot “falsely implies that the exercise of First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and association and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances caused the illegal acts of January 6.”

During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Stone harshly pushed back against claims he is somehow involved in the events of Jan. 6th, noting that he did not attend President Trump’s speech that day.