Judge drops Comey, James indictments due to illegal prosecutor appointment

A federal judge has dismissed criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, citing the illegal appointment of the prosecutor by the Trump administration. The ruling indicates misuse of judicial processes and disqualifies prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, who had no previous prosecutorial experience.

The judge dismissed the cases without prejudice, allowing the possibility for the Justice Department to revive them.

This decision is part of a broader trend where other U.S. attorneys have faced disqualification due to their appointments. Comey and James have been longstanding targets of Trump, especially after Comey’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.