FBI Director James Comey is making a bold move to have his criminal charges dismissed, citing that he was subjected to "vindictive" and "selective" prosecution. In a 51-page filing, Comey's lawyers argue that Trump's motivation for the indictment is driven by personal spite, pointing to a social media post from Trump that calls for action against Comey and others.
According to Comey's team, if a federal judge agrees with their claims, his case could be dismissed before it even goes to trial. This would be a significant development in the ongoing saga between Comey and former President Trump.
Comey is accused of lying to and obstructing Congress during 2020 congressional testimony. But his lawyers argue that he was singled out due to his "protected speech." In fact, they claim that at least four other heads of agencies made false statements without facing prosecution: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt, Health and Human Services head Tom Price, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
Comey's lawyers see this as a case of selective prosecution, where he was targeted specifically because of his public criticism of Trump. They believe that dismissing Comey's case would be the only way to "vindicate fundamental constitutional values" and deter the government from pursuing perceived political opponents.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has 10 days to respond to the motion before a hearing on November 19, when a judge will decide whether to dismiss the charges. A trial is scheduled for January 5 – but only if the case isn't dismissed beforehand.
The stakes are high in this case, with Comey's freedom potentially hanging in the balance. If his lawyers succeed in having the charges dismissed, it could send a significant message about the limits of presidential power and the importance of protecting whistleblowers.
According to Comey's team, if a federal judge agrees with their claims, his case could be dismissed before it even goes to trial. This would be a significant development in the ongoing saga between Comey and former President Trump.
Comey is accused of lying to and obstructing Congress during 2020 congressional testimony. But his lawyers argue that he was singled out due to his "protected speech." In fact, they claim that at least four other heads of agencies made false statements without facing prosecution: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt, Health and Human Services head Tom Price, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
Comey's lawyers see this as a case of selective prosecution, where he was targeted specifically because of his public criticism of Trump. They believe that dismissing Comey's case would be the only way to "vindicate fundamental constitutional values" and deter the government from pursuing perceived political opponents.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has 10 days to respond to the motion before a hearing on November 19, when a judge will decide whether to dismiss the charges. A trial is scheduled for January 5 – but only if the case isn't dismissed beforehand.
The stakes are high in this case, with Comey's freedom potentially hanging in the balance. If his lawyers succeed in having the charges dismissed, it could send a significant message about the limits of presidential power and the importance of protecting whistleblowers.
gotta wonder what's really going on here... seems like Trump's trying to bully Comey into silence & then Comey's team is fighting back 
. I mean, can't we just have a fair trial without all this drama? 
. It's kinda crazy that they're making a big deal out of this "selective prosecution" thing - what's next? Are they gonna start scrutinizing everyone who's ever disagreed with Trump on social media? 
. I mean, Trump's all like "take down Comey" on social media, but then he goes to the courts and tries to prosecute him anyway 
. But what's really interesting is that Comey's lawyers are pointing out that this isn't just about Trump being vindictive – it's about the principle of selective prosecution 
. They're saying that if they can get away with not prosecuting other high-ups who lied under oath, then why should Comey be held to a higher standard? It's like the whole system is rigged against certain people 
.
️ his lawyers are saying he was targeted because he spoke up, which is kinda true 
but we also know trump has a track record of going after people who cross him, like russians and whatnot 
... I mean, think about it - what does it say about our society that we're still debating who gets to decide what constitutes 'vindictive' or 'selective' prosecution? It's like we're trying to find a moral high ground when the truth is, power is always at play here 
. And Trump's social media post? That just shows how tone-deaf he can be... like, dude, that's not how you handle criticism 
.
. And what about those other heads of agencies who made false statements? Did they get any consequences for that? That just highlights the systemic issue here... does anyone really hold people accountable anymore? 
I guess if the government thinks they can just prosecute someone for being critical, it's a bad idea. The fact that Sessions and others got away with lying to Congress without consequences is pretty wild too... like, what's up with that? 
The stakes are high indeed! Comey's case is more than just about his personal freedom; it's about holding those in power accountable for their actions. If he succeeds in having the charges dismissed, it could be a major blow to the notion that presidents are above the law 
that doesn't quite fit anymore. His team saying he was targeted because of his "protected speech" 
sounds legit to me. Like, we gotta protect our free speech rights 
. But at the same time, if Trump's motivation for the indictment is driven by personal spite 
️ with "prosecution" and "politics" overlapping 
... it's like Comey's team is saying, "Hey, we're not just talking about the crime, we're talking about the motivation behind it." 
.
...
. And now Comey's saying that Trump is being vindictive and selective in his prosecution? Give me a break 
. It's like the whole system is rigged 
. And now they're trying to dismiss his charges because Trump said so? 
.
. If anything, Comey should be using this as an opportunity to clear the air and move forward 
. Instead, he's getting bogged down in lawsuits and whatnot 
. The fact that his lawyers are pushing back against the charges and claiming selective prosecution is a big deal - it could really muddy the waters for Trump's team 
. I mean, if a federal judge agrees with their claims, we're looking at a major blow to Trump's credibility 
.
. If Comey's lawyers can prove that these others were treated unfairly, it could be a major factor in getting his case dismissed 
. One thing for sure, this whole saga will continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months 
, meanwhile Trump made a public call for action against him on social media 
, cant we just have some justice around here?!? 
I mean, Comey's already gone through so much w/ the Russia investigation & now this is happenin again 
.
. We need more people like him, not less 
. It's like, if you're going to try and get someone in trouble, at least have the decency to do it fairly and transparently? 
.
. If we let presidents get away with using their power to silence critics, then what's next? A police state? It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it 
.
like Comey's team is saying that trump's motive for indicting him is based on personal spite? can you even imagine? 
what if they're right tho? 
it would be a huge win for fundamental constitutional values and whistleblower protection 
.