The Russians accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential election can't be convicted because they didn't know that political interference was illegal, their lawyers have argued.
Using this dubious defense, attorneys are hoping to free Russian nationals who worked for the Internet Research Agency, a Kremlin-backed troll farm that spread online propaganda, The Daily Beast reported Monday. Thirteen Russians have been indicted as part of the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, accused of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and spreading false information to sway the 2016 election. But some of those Russians are saying they've been accused of "make-believe crimes" because they are foreign nationals unfamiliar with U.S. law.
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Lawyers argue that because the Russians didn't know they were breaking the law, their work in spreading false stories about then-candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) can't be considered conspiracy. Read more at The Daily Beast.
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