On Monday, a federal appeals court rejected an effort by Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, and the Justice Department to force a lower district judge to throw out Flynn’s criminal case. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 8-2 that D.C. District Judge Emmet Sullivan did not act improperly by not immediately accepting the Justice Department’s push to dismiss Flynn’s case. The court also said that Sullivan’s appointment of an outside former judge to argue against the department was not improper, reversing the judgment of previous three-judge panel from the court which had argued Sullivan was overstepping his authorities.
Flynn pleaded guilty in late 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the former Russian ambassador before seeking to withdraw his plea early this year, alleging misconduct against the agents who investigated him.
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