(CNN) A federal judge in New York rejected Lev Parnas' motion to dismiss fraud and campaign finances charges, finding an argument that he was prosecuted to block him from cooperating against former President Donald Trump is "not just speculative, but implausible." Parnas, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, argued that he was arrested and charged in late 2019 to stop him from cooperating with the House impeachment investigation into Trump's activities in Ukraine. "But the theorizing of Twitters users, and Parnas's own speculation, do not constitute evidence of an improperly motivated prosecution," Judge Paul Oetken wrote, noting that Parnas initially did not cooperate with the impeachment inquiry. The judge noted that the government didn't object to Parnas' television appearances and media interviews. The judge also denied Parnas' request to seek records from the government to pursue the theory.

Source: CNN July 14, 2021 22:07 UTC