The Trump administration rode to special counsel Robert Mueller’s defense in a court filing related to his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election — a probe that, ironically, President Trump has derided as a “witch hunt.”

Justice Department lawyers Friday asked a judge to toss a lawsuit by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort that challenges Mueller’s authority. Manafort was indicted by Mueller’s grand jury in October on money-laundering and conspiracy charges connected to his consulting work for a Ukraine political party, which dates to 2005.

Manafort’s suit, filed Jan. 3, claims that because the alleged violations occurred before Trump launched his presidential bid, they fall outside the bounds of Mueller’s investigation.

But “ [Mueller] is properly operating within the scope of his authority,” the DOJ argued.