A federal judge today dismissed criminal charges against him and New York Attorney General Leticia James, ruling that US President Donald Trump’s appointment of the prosecutor in the case was improper.
The decision is a blow to President Trump’s prosecution efforts.
Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump lawyer, was appointed in September as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia to handle the two investigations, despite having no prior experience. Both Comey and James had denounced Halligan’s improper appointment.
Judge Cameron McGowan Curry ruled that Halligan did not have the legal authority to indict either Comey or James, but gave the Justice Department the option to assign another prosecutor to the two investigations.
“All actions stemming from the irregular appointment of Ms. Halligan” are characterized as an “unlawful exercise of executive power” and are void, according to the rationale of the decision.
“Today’s victory inspires me and I am grateful for the prayers and support I have received from across the country,” Leticia James said in a statement. Her attorney, Abby Lowell, said James would continue to challenge “any further politically motivated charges by any means available.”
“I am grateful that the court closed the case against me, which was a prosecution based on hostility and incompetence, which reflects what the Department of Justice has become under Donald Trump,” James Comey said in a video posted on Instagram.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said tonight that the Justice Department will appeal Judge Cameron McGowan Curry’s decision to dismiss charges against the former FBI director (2013-2017) for obstruction of justice and making false statements. During his first term in the White House, Trump fired Comey as the FBI investigated possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election campaign.
Subsequently, the 66-year-old attorney general of New York was accused of making false statements in order to obtain a mortgage loan with more favorable terms. Democrat James had proceeded with prosecutions against Donald Trump and his two sons, Donald Jr. and Eric. All three were found guilty that during the 2010s, they colossally inflated the value of the Trump Organization’s shares in order to get loans on more favorable terms from banks and to have better insurance conditions. After a high-profile trial in 2024, Donald Trump was fined $464 million. Last August, that fine was overturned by an appeals court.
