A judge has removed high-profile defense attorney Mark Geragos from a case involving CIA contracting because the lawyer refused to submit to background checks.
Geragos was representing Poway-based defense contractor Brent Wilkes, who is charged with conspiring to defraud the CIA on a contract worth more than $100 million.
U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said Geragos placed an undue burden on the court by refusing to obtain a security clearance. Prosecutors say they would have to spend six months sifting through 17,000 pages of documents to remove any classified material.
The move may delay the trial against Wilkes and former top CIA official Kyle “Dusty” Foggo. The two men have pleaded not guilty to 30 counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.
Trial is currently scheduled to begin October 23rd.
Wilkes is also charged in a separate case with bribing former congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham. Geragos is representing him in that case.
