Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is awaiting trail after he pleaded not guilty for charges that included money laundering and failing to register as foreign lobbyists in connection with their work on issues related to Ukraine. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo DOJ seeks dismissal of Manafort civil suit against Mueller

The Department of Justice on Friday evening filed a motion seeking to dismiss a civil suit former top Trump campaign aide Paul Manafort brought against special counsel Robert Mueller.

According to the DOJ's motion, Manafort alleged in his civil suit that "the Acting Attorney General’s order directing the Special Counsel to investigate certain matters exceeds the authority provided by the Department of Justice’s Special Counsel regulations." In addition, he claimed the indictment against him "exceed the Special Counsel’s authority under the Acting Attorney General’s order."


Manafort is awaiting trail after he pleaded not guilty for charges brought on by Mueller that included money laundering and failing to register as foreign lobbyists in connection with their work on issues related to Ukraine.

Department of Justice civil division lawyers defending Mueller's office and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said: "These claims lack merit."

"The appointment of the Special Counsel was squarely within the Acting Attorney General's authority and consistent with the Department's Special Counsel regulations," the motion argues.

"And the Special Counsel is properly operating within the scope of his authority, including with respect to Manafort's ongoing criminal prosecution."

The motion to dismiss Manafort's civil suit comes on the same day a formerly classified memo was released that alleges bias against FBI officials who helped launch a federal probe into whether Russia colluded with Trump’s campaign team.

The case is being heard in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.