Indicted Russian biz baits Mueller

A RUSSIAN company under indictment accused special counsel Robert Mueller of searching for a “make-believe crime” in a harsh court filing Monday that also quoted the movie classic “Casablanca.”

Concord Management and Consulting, a Moscow-based firm controlled by sanctioned Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, was charged in February with meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election by pumping millions into a covert social media campaign seeking to sow discord among American voters and boost President Trump’s campaign.

But Concord contended Mueller’s investigation has “absolutely nothing to do with any links or coordination between any candidate” and the Kremlin.

“The reason is obvious, and is political: to justify his own existence the special counsel has to indict a Russian — any Russian,” Concord said. Then the filing bitterly quotes the 1943 film’s Capt. Renault: “Maj. Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects.”