Mueller Hits Snag In Russian Internet Troll Case

[FM123]

According to an article in Talking Points Memo: Special counsel Robert Mueller has run into some skepticism from the federal judge overseeing the case he brought against Russians allegedly behind a social media campaign to influence the 2016 election — skepticism that could lead to the dismissal of the count against a company run by the Russian oligarch known as Putin’s chef.

The company, Concord Management, surprised observers by hiring lawyers to show up in court to fight the charges. Mueller has already survived Concord Management’s challenge to his legal authority to prosecute the case. Now U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich is weighing a motion by Concord Management seeking to throw out one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States on the basis of that indictment itself doesn’t allege an actual crime.

The issue is a complicated point of criminal law, but it could jeopardize the only count in the indictment that implicates Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin. Concord Management, along with Prigozhin and his other company Concord Catering, are alleged to have funded the internet trolling effort, and have been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Unlike Concord Management, Prigozhin has not submitted to the court’s jurisdiction and is not actively defending the case.

In a troubling sign for Mueller, Friedrich on Thursday evening ordered prosecutors to file more briefings on the conspiracy to defraud the United States count. The judge’s order came after a hearing Monday, where she grilled prosecutors on what they would need to prove in court. (read more)
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/mueller-hits-snag-in-russian-internet-troll-case

[empedocles]

2. Judge Friedrich dated Kavenaugh and recently judged his character favorably

[Judge Dabney. www.law.com. , # of cites on this angle]

[Haynx]

3. Don't believe articles saying X judge is skeptical

Manafort was convicted even though the media wanted us to believe that he wasn’t going to be convicted because the judge was skeptical.

There is a jury involved in these things.

[Stallion]

4. True But Jury Never Hears Case if Judge Determines Mueller Failed to State a Claim...

...upon which relief can be granted. Case could be determined by pre-trial motions