The US government is asking a judge to kick a former deputy attorney general off the defense team for Chinese electronics giant Huawei (WAH'-way) in a federal bank fraud case.
Prosecutors argued Wednesday at a New York City hearing that James Cole should be disqualified because he had access to classified information related to Huawei from his previous job at the Justice Department.
Cole sat by as another attorney for Huawei complained to the judge that the government was concealing any proof of a conflict of interest. He said it was unfair to strip Huawei of its right to choose who represents it.
The courtroom was closed for arguments related to the classifed information.
Huawei has denied charges it misled banks in a plot to violate Iran trade sanctions.