Roger Stone, a longtime advisor to President Donald Trump, was indicted Friday in connection with the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

But long before he became a target in Robert Mueller's probe, Stone was a fixture in New York politics, where his reputation as a "dirty trickster" was one he embraced.

Stone broke into Republican politics as a young and fervent supporter of Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign. He has Nixon's face tattooed on his back.

The Republican operative later became active in New York politics, known for his bare-knuckle tactics as much as his custom-made suits.

He made an appearance on Inside City Hall in 2015 to discuss fashion and politics. "A great tailor knows how to hide a gentleman's flaws and how to accentuate his assets," he said at the time.

Long before Trump actually ran for the White House, Stone encouraged him to do it. He was the director of Trump's presidential exploratory committee in 1999. It was the start of a long and close relationship between the pair.

Stone relishes in dispatching political rivals. He bragged about possibly having a hand in former governor Eliot Spitzer's downfall, claiming he told the FBI that Spitzer was patronizing prostitutes.

Earlier, Stone was accused of leaving a threatening message for Spitzer's father. Stone denied it was him, but Stone was forced to resign as an advisor to state Senate Republicans.

In 2010, Stone was back on the campaign trail, helping a former madame, Kristin Davis, on her long-shot campaign for governor of New York.

And then his wish came true: Trump ran for the White House and won. Stone kept himself close to the action throughout the campaign.

"I have no formal nor informal role, but I have access to all the right rooms," Stone said on NY1 in August 2016.

Now, Stone's access to those "right rooms," as he calls them, may be his downfall. But Stone is a political fighter, and he is promising to fight the charges against him.