Judge orders Papadopoulos to report to prison on Monday

A federal judge on Sunday ruled George Papadopoulos must report to prison as scheduled on Monday, rejecting a bid from the former Trump campaign adviser to delay the start of his sentence while a constitutional challenge to the special counsel investigation into Russia’s election interference remains unresolved.

Papadopoulos’s was found guilty of lying and impeding agents’ investigation at a crucial juncture and hindered their ability to effectively question, challenge or detain Joseph Mifsud, the London professor who had contacted him, prosecutors had told the court. Mifsud left the United States and has not returned.

The Washington Post reports that Papadopoulos, who was sentenced to spend 14 days in prison, had argued it was possible the constitutional challenge in a separate case would result in his own conviction being set aside, and that he should therefore be allowed to remain free on bail. But U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss noted Papadopoulos had not appealed his own conviction, having waived his right to do so when he pleaded guilty. Moss also wrote Papadopoulos had not shown that the appeals court in the separate case would likely conclude the special counsel’s appointment was unlawful.

“The Court, accordingly, concludes that Papadopoulos has failed to carry his burden of demonstrating that the Court should continue his current bail status,” Moss wrote.