Federal judge throws out criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James, ruling Trump-appointed prosecutor was unlawfully installed
WASHINGTON: A federal judge dismissed criminal cases against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday.
District Judge Cameron Currie ruled that interim US Attorney Lindsey Halligan, who brought the charges, was unlawfully appointed by President Donald Trump.
Comey faced charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.
James was indicted on one count of bank fraud and another for making false statements to a financial institution.
Judge Currie described Halligan as “a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience” in her dismissal rulings.
She determined that Halligan’s appointment violated US law prohibiting two successive interim prosecutors.
“All actions flowing from Ms Halligan’s defective appointment, including securing and signing Mr Comey’s indictment, were unlawful exercises of executive power,” the judge stated.
Currie granted Comey’s motion and dismissed the indictment without prejudice.
She issued a similar ruling in James’s case, leaving open the possibility of refiling charges.
The dismissals came after the previous interim US attorney reportedly found insufficient evidence to charge either individual.
Comey welcomed the dismissal on Instagram, calling the case “based on malevolence and incompetence.”
“This case mattered to me personally, obviously, but it matters most because a message has to be sent that the president of the United States cannot use the Department of Justice to target his political enemies,” he said.
James said she would “remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Justice Department will appeal the rulings.
The charges against Comey came days after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against the former FBI director.
James previously won a civil fraud case against Trump after he left the White House in 2021.
Comey was appointed FBI director by President Barack Obama in 2013 and fired by Trump in 2017.
The dismissals represent a setback for Trump’s efforts to prosecute political opponents. – AFP
