DC Judge denies Manafort's motion to dismiss all charges under the argument that Mueller lacked authority. This is NOT the same judge that was lecturing Mueller's team; that was the case in Northern Virginia.
Jackson disagreed, writing that Rosenstein had the authority "to define the Special Counsel?s charter broadly." She said that Mueller didn't write his own job description ? he inherited a preexisting investigation into Manafort ? and noted that Rosenstein said in sworn congressional testimony that he discussed the scope of the investigation when Mueller was appointed and confirmed in an August memo that Mueller was authorized to investigate Manafort's pre-campaign business activities.
"So even in the unlikely event that the Acting Attorney General and the Special Counsel never discussed what the investigation included at the time of the appointment, the singular event that defendant insists would be necessary to make his indictment valid ? an explicit referral of the specific matter to the Special Counsel ? has taken place," the judge wrote.
A spokesperson for the special counsel's office declined to comment. A spokesperson for Manafort did not immediately respond.
Jackson disagreed, writing that Rosenstein had the authority "to define the Special Counsel?s charter broadly." She said that Mueller didn't write his own job description ? he inherited a preexisting investigation into Manafort ? and noted that Rosenstein said in sworn congressional testimony that he discussed the scope of the investigation when Mueller was appointed and confirmed in an August memo that Mueller was authorized to investigate Manafort's pre-campaign business activities.
"So even in the unlikely event that the Acting Attorney General and the Special Counsel never discussed what the investigation included at the time of the appointment, the singular event that defendant insists would be necessary to make his indictment valid ? an explicit referral of the specific matter to the Special Counsel ? has taken place," the judge wrote.
A spokesperson for the special counsel's office declined to comment. A spokesperson for Manafort did not immediately respond.
Comment