Judge Dismisses Comey, James Charges Over Prosecutor Authority

A federal judge in Virginia dismissed criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday, ruling that the prosecutor who secured the indictments lacked lawful authority to do so.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie found that Lindsey Halligan, appointed as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in late September, violated federal law limiting the tenure of such officials. Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, had presented the cases to grand juries without support from career staff in her office. Currie dismissed both indictments without prejudice, meaning the Justice Department could potentially refile them under a properly appointed prosecutor. However, the ruling highlighted procedural flaws that have plagued the cases from the start.

The charges stemmed from President Donald Trump's public calls for action against individuals he viewed as adversaries. Comey faced accusations of making false statements to Congress and obstructing proceedings related to events five years earlier, while James was indicted on mortgage fraud allegations. Both defendants...