The Story:
There is a “mystery company” litigating before the US Supreme Court, and the air in Washington is rife with speculation about who it is, and what connection, if any, the case has to investigations into Russia’s interference with the US presidential election of 2016.
What is Mysterious:
The company at issue is owned by a foreign government. A district court judge has fined it on a per diem basis for its refusal to comply with a subpoena in connection with an ongoing investigation. That investigation might (but also might not) be the Mueller probe into Russian campaign meddling.
Beyond that the courts, both lower and Supreme, are keeping much information about the case under seal.
The Thing to Know:
Lawyers for the company claim that if the subpoena is honored, the resulting disclosures will “wreak havoc on American foreign policy – possibly alienating U.S. allies, undermining diplomatic efforts, and inviting reciprocal treatment abroad for American agencies.” Their legal case for squashing the appeal turns on the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act of 1976.
