Comey Case Dismissed by Federal Judge Ruling!
Washington, Nov 24 (EFE).-
A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after ruling that the federal prosecutor appointed by United States President Donald Trump to lead both cases had been illegally installed.
Comey and James, who faced separate charges, had jointly challenged the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, the acting United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, arguing that she did not hold the position legally when she filed the indictments.
Judge Cameron McGowan Currie concluded that Halligan’s designation “was not valid” at the time the charges were submitted.
“Because Ms. Halligan lacked the legal authority to bring the indictment, I will grant Mr. Comey’s motion and dismiss the indictment without prejudice,” McGowan Currie wrote.
The dismissal is not an acquittal, nor a definitive end to the cases. Prosecutors may refile charges once the appointment issues that prompted the dismissal are resolved.
Defense attorneys had highlighted what they called the “unusual” circumstances in which Halligan, 36, and with no previous prosecutorial experience, personally signed and filed the indictments after several of her subordinates reportedly refused to do so.
Halligan was appointed acting US attorney for Virginia by Trump on Sep. 22, following the resignation of her predecessor, Erik Siebert, who stepped down under apparent presidential pressure after questioning the strength of the evidence against Comey and James.
Just three days after taking office, Halligan filed charges against Comey, a fierce critic of Trump.
Weeks later, she indicted Attorney General James on allegations of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. James had spearheaded a civil lawsuit in New York against Trump, his adult children, and the Trump Organization, resulting in a 500 million dollars judgment in 2024.
Both Comey and James pleaded not guilty, and their trials had been scheduled for January before Monday’s ruling. EFE
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