In Major Blow to Mueller, Federal Judge Rebukes Mueller and DOJ For Falsely Claiming ‘Russian Bot Farm’ Linked to Russian Government


Robert Mueller

Dabney Friedrich, a Trump-appointed federal judge rebuked Robert Mueller and the DOJ for falsely suggesting the IRA (Internet Research Agency) and Concord Management and Company, the so-called Russian troll farms, were linked to the Russian government.

Mueller’s core claim that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 US presidential election in a “sweeping and systemic” fashion revolves around his bogus claims that a Russian bot farm was linked to the Kremlin — a core claim that has never even been proven.

Defense lawyers for Concord Management, the ‘Russian troll farm’ indicted by Mueller, filed a motion in April demanding the judge hold Robert Mueller and US Attorney General Bill Barr in criminal contempt for releasing the redacted special counsel report.

Concord’s lawyers argued that Mueller’s report contained allegations against Concord Management & Co. that were not in the indictment.

“The practical effect of the broadside by AG Barr and SC Mueller on Concord was to advise the world (including potential jurors) that the allegations in the indictment are true and that the defendants in this case were operating as part of a Russian-government led interference campaign expressly linked to the allegations in United States v. Netyksho,” Reed Smith partner Eric Dubelier said in the April filing. “This despite the fact that the indictment contains no such allegation.”

Judge Friedrich responded to the contempt request last week in a 23-page opinion and rebuked the special counsel and DOJ for falsely suggesting Concord was tied to the Kremlin, a fact that has never been proven, nor was it in Mueller’s indictment — Mueller did however make this claim in his garbage 448-page report.

Judge Friedrich called Mueller out…

“The Special Counsel Report describes efforts by the Russian government to interfere with the 2016 presidential election,” Judge Friedrich’s July memo said. “But the indictment, which alleges that private Russian entities and individual conducted an “information warfare” campaign designed to sow discord among US voters, Indictment 10, does not link the defendants to the Russian government.”

In a major blow to Mueller, judge Friedrich said, “Save for a single allegation that Concord and Concord Catering had several “government contracts” (with no further elaboration), the indictment alleges only private conduct by private actors.

Judge Friedrich continued, “In short, the Court concludes that the government violated Rule 57.7 by making or authorizing the release of public statements that linked the defendants’ alleged activities to the Russian government and provided an opinion about the defendants’ guilt and the evidence against them. The Court will therefore proceed to consider the appropriate response to that violation, beginning with the possibility of contempt.”

Lawyers for Concord Management and Consulting have sparred with Mueller’s prosecutors ever since the special counsel indicted them for supposedly running a ‘Russian troll farm.’

Mueller wasn’t expecting Concord to fight back — the special counsel’s indictment of Concord was a publicity stunt to justify his salary and it backfired.

Concord’s lawyers put up a fight and have been a thorn in Mueller’s side since they were indicted in July of 2018.

The US Attorney’s office in DC is now handling the junk Russian bot case (more money wasted) after Mueller’s hit and run against Concord.

Judge Friedrich’s memo raises more questions about Mueller’s claims of a “sweeping and systemic” Russian government interference and lawmakers should press him about these bogus claims during the July 17 congressional hearing.

Photo of author
Cristina began writing for The Gateway Pundit in 2016 and she is now the Associate Editor.

You can email Cristina Laila here, and read more of Cristina Laila's articles here.

 

Thanks for sharing!