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Randolph A. Credico (born 1954)[1] is an Americanperennial political candidate, comedian, radio host, and activist, and the former director of theWilliam Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice.[2]
Credico was formerly active on the comedy circuit, and at the age of 27 made an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.[3] During a later appearance, he comparedJeane Kirkpatrick toEva Braun; he was never invited on the show again.[4]
Credico's most significant appearance in the2016 election cycle was headlining a Republican fund-raiser in Cayuga County, New York.[5]
Credico ran as a Democratic primary challenger againstSenatorChuck Schumer in 2010. Credico submitted petitions in an effort to get onto the Democratic Party primary ballot. The party chairman claimed that Credico only submitted a few pages' worth of petitions to the state, far short of the 15,000 necessary, a charge Credico denied. Credico threatened to throw his support to Republican candidateCarl Paladino in the gubernatorial race.[6]
Credico ran for the Democratic nomination forMayor of New York City in the2013 election. He received 12,685 votes (2.0%).[7] He also appeared on the ballot in the general election with 14 other candidates, on the Tax Wall Street line, receiving 654 votes (0.1%).[8]
Credico challenged incumbent Democratic GovernorAndrew Cuomo in the 2014 Democratic primary. He came in third among three candidates, with 20,760 votes (3.6%).[9]
Arranged by Margaret Ratner Kunstler, a mutual friend who isJulian Assange's attorney,[10] Credico hosted Assange on Credico's August 25, 2016, radio show.[11]
On August 27, 2016, Credico sent a text message toRoger Stone saying, "Julian Assange has kryptonite on Hillary."[12] Credico notified Stone of subsequent releases byWikiLeaks of numerous emails stolen fromJohn Podesta and theHillary Clinton campaign, a publication which initiated releases of information on October 7, 2016.[12]
In November 2017, Stone told theHouse Intelligence Committee that Credico was his intermediary with Assange to obtain information onHillary Clinton. Credico was then subpoenaed to appear before the committee,[13] but asserted hisFifth Amendment right before the interview. The committee released him from appearing.[14] By August 2018, special counsel Mueller had subpoenaed Credico to testify before a grand jury in September 2018.[15] Credico complied with the request.[16]
Mother Jones reported that Credico had received text messages from Stone in January 2018 stating that Stone was seeking a presidential pardon for Assange.[17]
In January 2019, Stone was arrested by theFBI.[18] His indictment claimed that Credico, referred to as "Person 2," was not Stone's sole contact with WikiLeaks ("Organization 1"). It also claimed that Credico was pressured by Stone to "stonewall" his testimony before Congress, and to "do aFrank Pentangeli." Among other statements, Stone told Credico to "prepare to die," and that he would "take that dog away from you." Credico relies on a medical support dog.[19] Credico subsequently testified against Stone during Stone's trial in November 2019.[20]