The first of the 16 Russian entities to respond to indictments by special counsel Robert Mueller has denounced the charges as a political witch hunt in service of a nonexistent case.
A Monday court filing by Concord Management and Consulting, reported by CNN, said Mr. Mueller was trying to “justify his own existence” in the charges and needed “to indict a Russian — any Russian” for the Kremlin’s purported interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has “rejected the history and integrity of the DOJ, and instead licensed a Special Counsel who for all practical political purposes cannot be fired, to indict a case that has absolutely nothing to do with any links or coordination between any candidate and the Russian Government,” Concord wrote in its filing, echoing claims made by the Trump administration.
Mr. Mueller has indicted three Russian corporations and 13 persons, but only Concord has yet responded in court.
The company is charged with conspiracy charge related to its use of social media before the election, which the company called a “make-believe crime” and said it will ask for a dismissal. Concord also will ask a federal judge to examine the instructions Mr. Mueller gave the indicting grand jury.
Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump administration appointee, will hold the first face-to-face hearing in the case Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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