21.   American officials have dismissed the charge, saying that smaller, faster jets bear responsibility for keeping out of the path of larger aircraft.

22.   An order to suppress the tapes would have in effect caused the charges to be dismissed.

23.   An administration official dismissed that charge today.

24.   And it will be preceded with a hot dispute over motions seeking to dismiss the charges entirely.

25.   Aristide himself was said to be traveling and unavailable for comment, but in the past he has dismissed such charges as attacks by his political opponents.

26.   As of Thursday evening the Justice Department had not dismissed the charges and observers say such a move is highly unlikely.

27.   As Republican leaders squabble, meanwhile, some prosecutors in Illinois have been forced to dismiss charges against defendants accused of the illegal use of firearms.

28.   Ashraf Ghani, senior adviser to Karzai, dismissed the charges of manipulation, and said the withdrawals were part of a normal political process.

29.   At first, government officials dismissed the charges as a political campaign by Republicans in Congress to isolate Russia.

30.   At the end of the year, the charge was dismissed because of his status as a first-time offender.