In a contentious case reaching back to the 2004 presidential campaign, a federal judge Monday agreed to dismiss a final charge of illegal campaign finance violations against prominent Los Angeles attorney Pierce O’Donnell.

O’Donnell’s representatives portrayed the action in U.S. District Judge S. James Otero’s court as a vindication of their client .

But officials with the U.S. attorney’s office say they intend to pursue the charge at a later date, adding that Monday’s dismissal was agreed to by both sides to avoid the chance of having to conduct two trials in the same case.

& #8226;

Read the full

Los Angeles Times

story.