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\"I never discussed these matters with the president and everything that I did regarding trying to get as much public attention to the WikiLeaks disclosures among voters, among the media is -- is constitutionally protected free speech,\" he told Stephanopoulos. \"That's what I engaged in. It's called politics and they haven’t criminalized it, at least not yet.\"

The charges brought by Mueller’s office largely revolve around false statements Stone is accused of making to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees regarding his communications with associates about WikiLeaks.

“I am falsely accused of making false statements,” he said Friday outside the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. “I look forward to being fully and completely vindicated.”

Stone also pledged on Friday to fight the charges and reiterated his support for Trump, a man who he supports politically and says he considers a close friend.

“There is no circumstance whatsoever under which I will bear false witness against the president,” he said Friday. “I am one of his oldest friends. I am a fervent supporter of the president.”

More than a dozen witnesses associated with Stone have been contacted by the special counsel's office, many of whom have appeared before the grand jury impaneled by Mueller’s team. The witnesses have told ABC News they were asked about Stone’s dealings during the 2016 election and what, if any, contact he may have had with WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange through an intermediary.

Among them include two who confirm to ABC News that they were specifically referred to in Stone's indictment.

Political humorist and radio show host Randy Credico, whom Stone claims to have asked to act as an intermediary for him to contact Assange to confirm that the Wikileaks founder had a cache of information on Clinton during the 2016 campaign, is \"Person 2\" in the indictment, who Stone exchanged text messages with about Assange and Clinton related leaks, and who Stone was charged with one count of witness tampering with over efforts to tamper with Credico's testimony before the House Intelligence Committee.

Jerome Corsi, the former Washington bureau chief of the far right site, Infowars, who is known for his role in pushing political smear campaigns, confirms he is \"Person 1\" from the indictment, who emailed with Stone about efforts to \"get to Assange\" and seemed to relay information about material Wikileaks had in the summer of 2016.

Stephanopolous asked Stone what he hopes to gain by doing interviews after being indicted.

\"I think the way I was treated on Thursday is extraordinary,\" he said. \"I think the American people need to hear about it.\"

A swarm of FBI agents wielding long guns and tactical gear took Stone into custody at his Fort Lauderdale home on Friday and obtained search warrants for his homes in Florida and New York City. He continued to complain about the show of force Sunday.

\"This was an attempt to poison the jury pool,\" he said.

Over the course of his nearly two-year-long probe, Mueller and his team of prosecutors have now indicted 34 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges ranging from computer hacking to conspiracy and financial crimes.

Those indictments have led to seven guilty pleas and three people sentenced to prison. Four former Trump campaign officials -- including his onetime national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign chairman Paul Manafort, also a former associate of Stone -- are among those who have pleaded guilty.

ABC News’ Lauren King, Lucien Bruggeman and Quinn Scanlan contributed to this report.

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