Armstrong urges judge to toss lawsuit

WASHINGTON - Cyclist Lance Armstrong urged a federal judge Tuesday to dismiss the Justice Department’s False Claims Act lawsuit against him, arguing that the Postal Service got its money’s worth out of its sponsorship deal and that the claims are barred by the statute of limitations.

In the filing in U.S. District Court in Washington, lawyers for Armstrong said the Postal Service, which sponsored Armstrong’s cycling team, got exactly what it bargained for, including tens of millions of dollars’ worth of publicity, exposure to more than 30 million spectators at international cycling events and hundreds of hours of television coverage.

The government claims that Armstrong violated his contract with the Postal Service and was “unjustly enriched” while cheating to win the Tour de France. That came after Armstrong’s admission in January to using performance-enhancing drugs after years of denials.

AP