A federal judge on Monday dismissed charges against a Russian company accused of funding the Kremlin's efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election, after federal prosecutors said the company has flaunted court rules and made the prosecution more trouble than it is worth.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich came hours after the Justice Department asked to drop the charges against Concord Management and Consulting.
"There is a substantial federal interest in defending American democratic institutions, exposing those who endeavor to criminally interfere with them, and holding them accountable, which is why this prosecution was properly commenced in the first place," the government said in a 9-page motion filed Monday. "In light of the defendant's conduct, however, its ephemeral presence and immunity to just punishment, the risk of exposure of law enforcement's tools and techniques and the post-indictment change in the proof available at trial, the balance of equities has shifted."
Part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, a grand jury in February 2018 indicted Concord Management and Consulting, as well as 13 Russian nationals and two other companies in connection with Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections using social media troll farms and influence campaigns.
Concord Management was the only alleged conspirator to enter an appearance in court and vigorously contested the charges over the ensuing two years.
But prosecutors say Concord Management has never really participated in the prosecution, instead using court proceedings to collect information about how the U.S. government responds to and monitors efforts from foreign countries to interfere in its elections.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Mojibake Tengu on Tuesday March 17 2020, @07:23PM (2 children)
It is a pretty shame American democracy was toppled by... a network of Russian restaurants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concord_Management_and_Consulting [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Internet_Research_Agency_Indictment_Feb_2018_with_text.pdf [wikipedia.org]
I can't stop laughing. Pubs mobsters toppled a planetary Empire. As a sci-fi, it would be unbelievable. Maybe, you guys really deserved that.
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 17 2020, @08:57PM
They weren't expected to defend themselves but did, a problem for those manufacturing this.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday March 17 2020, @09:30PM
Yeah, 'cause those Russians are just too dumb to use a shell company to finance their criminal enterprise!
From the indictment: