Prosecutors: Lithuanian can't stop her looming extradition

CHICAGO (AP) - Prosecutors in Chicago say an ex-Lithuanian parliamentarian can't stop her extradition to face charges tied to her claims a clan of influential pedophiles exists in Lithuania whose victims included her 4-year-old niece.

Prosecutors argue in a Wednesday filings that an April State Department decision OKing Nergina Venckiene's (vehn-KEY'-ehn-nayz) extradition overrides any court ruling.

A Thursday hearing will consider a last-ditch request to stay her extradition while she completes a political-asylum application. Lithuanian charges include disobeying an order to relinquish custody of her niece. She fled Lithuania in 2013.

Prosecutors say the U.S. can't expect countries to extradite fugitives wanted in the U.S. if it doesn't extradite people in Venckiene's situation. They add the U.S. by treaty can only consider evidence Lithuania provided and so, regarding extradition, "bald assertions of innocence" by Venckiene "are irrelevant."