Federal Judge Denies Paul Manafort's Request To Dismiss Charges Against Him

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort

CNN reports that a federal judge has denied former Donald Trump campaign chairman's request to invalidate the criminal case again him brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Manafort's legal team argued that the Special Counsel's orders were too broad and that Mueller had overstepped his legal authority.

But federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Mueller's investigation and his prosecution of Manafort are legal.

Manafort maintains his innocence to charges related to his work as a lobbyist for Ukrainian politicians.

This is a judge Trump will not be quoting at rallies: “The Special Counsel would have been remiss to ignore such an obvious potential link between the Trump campaign and the Russian government” - Federal Judge Berman dismissing Manafort’s motion to dismiss.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) May 15, 2018

JUST IN: Judge in D.C. denies Manafort motion to dismiss charges. Says "the indictment falls squarely within that portion of the authority granted to the Special Counsel," and it was "logical and appropriate" for investigators looking at coordination to focus on him.

— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) May 15, 2018

"Who had connections to the Russian government? Who attended meetings on behalf of the campaign? Given...his prominence within the campaign and his ties to Ukrainian officials supported by and operating out of Russia ... Manafort was an obvious person of interest” for Mueller.

— Katelyn Polantz (@kpolantz) May 15, 2018