The Justice Department has settled a lawsuit brought by Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser who was a key figure in the federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Page's lawsuit claimed that he was the victim of illegal surveillance and that the warrants used in the probe lacked probable cause and were "unlawfully obtained". The case was dismissed after a federal judge found the statute of limitations on his claims had expired. The Justice Department defended the investigation, stating that it was based on flawed information and that targeting American citizens for political purposes constitutes a severe violation of civil liberties. The settlement follows a similar settlement by Michael Flynn, who claimed he was politically targeted in the Russia probe.