The Supreme Court on Monday refused to revive a lawsuit from an aide to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign who was the target of secret surveillance during the FBI’s Russia investigation.
The justices rebuffed an appeal from Carter Page, who settled with the U.S. for $1.25 million but wanted to continue a lawsuit against then-FBI director James Comey and other former officials alleging “unlawful spying” during a probe into whether Trump’s 2016 campaign had conspired with Russia to affect the outcome of the election.
Page vigorously denied any claim of improper ties to Russia and was never charged with any wrongdoing. A government watchdog report was harshly critical of surveillance applications used in his case.
Lower courts tossed out his lawsuit, though, in part because he hadn’t sued the people who carried out the surveillance. The Supreme Court’s brief order did not detail their reasoning for declining the case, as is typical.