Concord Management and Consulting, the Russian firm owned by Putin's chef that Robert Mueller indicted for its role in U.S. election interference, is trying to join an appeal challenging the legitimacy of the special counsel.
Mueller's team is fighting that attempt.
Concord's U.S. attorneys also are claiming the indictment is part of a political witch hunt.
In a motion filed on Monday, the prosecutors argued that the court should not allow Concord Management and Consulting, LLC to "intervene" in the appellate case of Andrew Miller, a former associate of longtime Donald Trump friend and self-described political "dirty trickster" Roger Stone.
Concord is the Russian firm that prosecutors say financed a St. Petersburg "troll factory" called the Internet Research Agency, which U.S. officials say set up hundreds of fake or automated social media accounts as part of a widespread online influence campaign ahead of the 2016 election. The firm has pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Miller served as an aide to Stone until 2013, according to Stone, who once described Miller as his “wingman” because he helped manage Stone’s schedule, travel and media appearances, and also provided “some I.T. work.” Miller identifies himself as a libertarian and has said he did not support Trump’s candidacy, but he did accompany Stone to the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Miller has turned over documents but is refusing to comply with a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury. The court is holding him in contempt.
Attorneys for both Miller and Concord have argued that Mueller's appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional -- and both have lost those arguments in lower courts. Miller appealed his loss and, late last week, attorneys for Reed Smith, the American law firm representing Concord, moved to legally join in that appeal.
"Basic fairness therefore dictates that Concord should be permitted to participate in this appeal," Concord's motion said. Concord has also filed its own appeal, but said the “unique circumstances of this case," including the overlapping arguments against Mueller's appointment, should permit the firm to join in with Miller’s.
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In its motion filed on Monday, prosecutors said that Concord should not be allowed to join Miller's appellate case because the firm "has not suffered a concrete and particularized injury as a result of the district court's contempt finding against Andrew Miller."
"In any event, the participation of Concord -- a defendant in a separate criminal case -- in this grand jury appeal is unwarranted," prosecutors said.
On Wednesday, Concord's U.S. attorneys appeared in court and used President Trump's favorite line of attack, accusing Mueller of conducting a politically motivated witch hunt.
CNN:
Instead of using Trump's words, Concord borrowed a quote from an underling of Russian dictator Josef Stalin.
"The pinpoint demographic and ideological targeting of the Special Counsel's mandate is ironically reminiscent of a quotation attributed to Lavrenty Beria, the chief of Joseph Stalin's secret police," the Russian company writes in a footnote. " 'Show me the man, and I'll find you the crime.' "
Ignoring the fact that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election to benefit the Trump campaign, Concord argued the special counsel's indictment was "inherently and illegally biased" because it only focused on the Russian government and the Trump campaign.
"The identification and prosecution of only Russians is particularly nefarious here because it coincided with massive political and public pressure on the Special Counsel to confirm a narrative generated by the Clinton campaign that the Russians had ensured the election of President Trump."
The Justice Department has never before brought such a case against foreign nationals related to social media use in a presidential election, Concord's filing says. Because no other foreign national has ever been indicted for an alleged crime like this, Mueller's team has unfairly targeted -- or used "selective prosecution" against -- Concord, the filing says.
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Concord wants the court to force Mueller to turn over "any information" about investigations and legal steps taken toward people and companies from Ukraine, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, China and Australia who may have attempted to covertly influence the election, the Russian company's court filing says.
Concord Management is also interested in investigations into foreign nationals' campaign contributions in 2016 and "other instances of alleged influence" related to any presidential campaign, according to the filing.
Mueller fights Russian firm's attempt to 'intervene' in Roger Stone aide's appeal (ABC News)
Russian company latches on to 'witch hunt' accusations against Robert Mueller (CNN)