Federal Judge Dismisses Charges Against James Comey and Letitia James Due to Unlawful Appointment of Interim US Attorney
A federal judge in Washington D.C. has dismissed the criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, citing that Lindsey Halligan's appointment as interim U.S. attorney was unlawful.
The decision comes after a lengthy battle between the two defendants and the Justice Department, with both sides arguing over the legitimacy of Halligan's appointment. The judge ruled that Halligan's 120-day appointment under Section 546 of the federal law governing U.S. attorney vacancies exceeded the allowed time, rendering her appointment invalid.
As a result, the indictments against Comey and James are hereby dismissed without prejudice, allowing them to potentially seek new charges in the future. However, Comey's attorneys have argued that he will not be able to file for a new indictment due to the statute of limitations expiring at the end of September.
The ruling marks a significant victory for Comey and James, who both accused their prosecutions as retaliatory and motivated by President Trump's efforts to punish his political foes. In response to the decision, Letitia James stated that she remains fearless in the face of these baseless charges, while James expressed gratitude for the court's verdict.
The Justice Department has vowed to appeal the ruling, with Attorney General Pam Bondi stating that they will take all available legal action, including an immediate appeal. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended Halligan's appointment, saying that she was "extremely qualified" and lawfully appointed.
This case highlights the ongoing tension between the executive and legislative branches of government, particularly with regard to the Justice Department's appointments and authority. As one judge noted, if the government's interpretation were correct, it would allow the president to evade Senate confirmation indefinitely by stacking consecutive 120-day appointments.
The ruling is likely to have implications for future cases involving interim U.S. attorneys and the Justice Department's appointments process.
A federal judge in Washington D.C. has dismissed the criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, citing that Lindsey Halligan's appointment as interim U.S. attorney was unlawful.
The decision comes after a lengthy battle between the two defendants and the Justice Department, with both sides arguing over the legitimacy of Halligan's appointment. The judge ruled that Halligan's 120-day appointment under Section 546 of the federal law governing U.S. attorney vacancies exceeded the allowed time, rendering her appointment invalid.
As a result, the indictments against Comey and James are hereby dismissed without prejudice, allowing them to potentially seek new charges in the future. However, Comey's attorneys have argued that he will not be able to file for a new indictment due to the statute of limitations expiring at the end of September.
The ruling marks a significant victory for Comey and James, who both accused their prosecutions as retaliatory and motivated by President Trump's efforts to punish his political foes. In response to the decision, Letitia James stated that she remains fearless in the face of these baseless charges, while James expressed gratitude for the court's verdict.
The Justice Department has vowed to appeal the ruling, with Attorney General Pam Bondi stating that they will take all available legal action, including an immediate appeal. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended Halligan's appointment, saying that she was "extremely qualified" and lawfully appointed.
This case highlights the ongoing tension between the executive and legislative branches of government, particularly with regard to the Justice Department's appointments and authority. As one judge noted, if the government's interpretation were correct, it would allow the president to evade Senate confirmation indefinitely by stacking consecutive 120-day appointments.
The ruling is likely to have implications for future cases involving interim U.S. attorneys and the Justice Department's appointments process.
... i always knew something fishy was going down with james comey and letitia james, but i didn't think it'd get this far 
... if the govt was trying to take them down, why did they make halligan's appointment so public? seems like they just wanted to stir up drama 
... and now we got a judge saying she made an error, which basically means comey and james are off the hook for now 
... but what about all the other fish in the sea that might get caught if the govt appeals this? 
...
. I mean, come on, if they're gonna accuse people of doing something wrong, at least be consistent about it, right? And what's with Lindsey Halligan being appointed for 120 days in the first place? That sounds like a pretty blatant power grab to me 
.
. They're not backing down from the prosecution no matter what, which is pretty admirable. I mean, we've seen so many high-profile cases where people just give up and are like "oh, I'm outta here", but these two are keeping it real 
.
. Like, what's the point of even having a justice department if they're not gonna stand up for the law? It just feels like more of the same old politics and backroom deals 
. Seriously though, it's kinda crazy that this whole thing went on for so long. I guess you could say the Justice Department was feeling a little "hanging by a thread" 
. But in all seriousness, it's good to see justice being served and these two dudes getting off scot-free...for now 
. I mean, what even is the deal with that?
The fact that Comey and James said those charges were retaliatory is super suspicious tho... Anyway, it's gonna be interesting to see what happens next, especially with the Justice Dept appealing this ruling 
.
for james comey & letitia james! i was so worried about them lol they're gonna be able to clear their names now 
i wonder how this whole thing went down tho? did they get bullied by trump or something? 
anywayz, can u even believe the justice department is gonna appeal this decision 
and btw has anyone seen that new season of netflix on lord vader?? i'm literally obsessed 
. I mean, come on, a judge dismisses charges against two people because some lawyer messed up with an appointment? It's not like they did anything wrong, but hey, who needs accountability when you've got friends in high places? 
. And what's up with all these interim appointments? It feels like they're just trying to control everything from behind the scenes. I guess this is a big win for Comey and James, but you can bet the Justice Department will be fighting this all the way to the Supreme Court 
.
anyway, glad justice was served this time around 
. but seriously, who's gonna keep an eye on these interim appointments now? 
. It just goes to show how crucial it is to follow the rules and respect the law, especially when it comes to high-stakes appointments like those in the Justice Department. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good #justiceforComey and #JusticeForJames? 
The implications for future cases are definitely going to be interesting, and I'm curious to see how this plays out in the courts. Keep it tuned! 
right? Lindsey Halligan was appointed as interim US attorney but it was only supposed to be 120 days 
and so Comey and Letitia James are free to go 
and let's be real, it's about time 
and hopefully they'll take down more scumbags like halligan 
It's all very interesting, but I guess it just goes to show how the system can be, you know, kinda broken sometimes 
.
.
they were saying it was a revenge thing from trump & i believe them lol the justice dept is already crying about it tho 
. Anyway, I'm glad she got the boot and those two are off the hook for now 