Court Tosses Cases Against Ex-FBI Chief, Letitia James; Says Trump's Prosecutor Appointment Illegal

A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor appointed by President Donald Trump was unlawfully installed.

US District Judge Cameron Currie found that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who secured the indictments against both Comey and James, had been illegally appointed to her role as interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Halligan’s appointment, which bypassed the Senate confirmation process, violated federal laws limiting the appointment of top prosecutors.

Judge Currie ruled that all actions taken by Halligan, including the indictment of Comey and James, were “unlawful exercises of executive power” and must

be set aside. However, the judge dismissed the cases “without prejudice,” meaning they could be refiled, although Comey’s legal team has suggested the statute of limitations in his case has expired.

Comey, a vocal critic of Trump, has been charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. His case has faced significant legal challenges, with Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick last week noting potential government misconduct and investigative errors.

Fitzpatrick ordered prosecutors to hand over grand jury materials to Comey’s defence team, citing concerns about the integrity of the grand jury process.

“Irregularities that occurred before the grand jury, and the manner in which evidence presented to the grand jury was collected and used, may rise to the level of government misconduct resulting in prejudice to Mr Comey,” the judge had said.

Letitia James, who gained national prominence for her successful prosecution of Trump for business fraud, was also indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. James has argued that the charges against her are politically motivated, similar to Comey’s case.

Trump, who has targeted his critics since taking office in January, has frequently employed punitive measures against perceived enemies, purging government officials he deemed to be disloyal, targeting law firms involved in cases against him, and withholding federal funding from universities.

(With inputs from agencies)