Big Win for Comey & James: Judge Throws Out Criminal Charges

Shocking News in the Courts

A huge legal story broke this week. A federal judge dismissed criminal charges against two very famous people. These people are James Comey and Letitia James.

Mr. Comey is the former director of the FBI. Ms. James is the Attorney General for New York State. Both have charged with serious federal crimes. Both said the charges were not true.

The judge’s decision is a big win for them. It is a big loss for the people who pushed for the charges.

The reason for the dismissal was simple. The prosecutor who brought the cases has appointed in an illegal way. The judge ruled that this person had no right to act as a prosecutor.

Who Are James Comey and Letitia James? Big Win

It is helpful to know who these two people are.

James Comey used to be the head of the FBI. He worked under President Obama. This also worked at the start of the Trump administration. He became a very strong critic of President Trump. His work led to him fired. This made him a target for many years.

Letitia James is the top lawyer in New York State. She is the Attorney General. She became a major target because of a lawsuit she filed. This lawsuit was against President Trump. It accused him of fraud.

Because of their jobs and their disagreements with the former administration, both people faced harsh political attacks. They said the criminal charges were part of those attacks.

What Were the Charges About?

The charges against both people came quickly.

Mr. Comey has charged with lying to Congress. He has also charged with stopping a legal process in Congress. This related to events that happened five years ago.

Ms. James has charged with mortgage fraud. She has accused of giving false information to a bank to get a loan. This was a very serious charge.

Both Mr. Comey and Ms. James pleaded not guilty. They denied that they did anything wrong. They said the government was trying to punish them because they spoke out against President Trump.

The Judge’s Simple, Strong Ruling Big Win

The case has heard by U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie. Judge Currie’s ruling was very direct. She did not rule on whether the charges themselves were true or false. Big Win

She ruled on who brought the charges.

The judge said the prosecutor who filed the cases has appointed by the Justice Department in an unlawful way. The prosecutor’s name is Lindsey Halligan. Ms. Halligan has named the acting U.S. Attorney for a district in Virginia.

Judge Currie found that Ms. Halligan’s appointment broke the law. It broke a specific federal law. It also broke the Constitution’s rules about how people get high government jobs.

The Problem with the Prosecutor

Why was the appointment illegal? The law is very strict about filling top jobs like U.S. Attorney. Usually, the President nominates someone. Then, the Senate must vote to confirm that person.

If the job is empty, the Attorney General can pick a temporary person. This temporary job lasts only 120 days. After 120 days, if the Senate has not approved a permanent person, the federal judges in that area get to pick the temporary person.

In this case, the previous temporary prosecutor has forced out. This happened because he did not want to file charges against Ms. James. Big Win

Then, the administration put Ms. Halligan in the job. She was a former White House aide. She had no real experience as a federal prosecutor. Big Win

The judge said the 120-day time limit had passed. The Attorney General did not have the power to put Ms. Halligan in the job. The judge said her appointment was invalid. This means that everything she did in that job was void.

Judge Currie wrote something very important. She said that if the law allowed this, the government could pick “any private citizen off the street” to file charges. She said, “That cannot be the law.”

What Does “Dismissed Without Prejudice” Mean? Big Win

The judge tossed out both cases. She did this “without prejudice.” This is a legal term. It means the government could try to bring the same charges again. They would just have to wait until a legally appointed prosecutor is in place.

However, bringing the cases back will be very difficult.

First, the original charges against James Comey may protected by time. The statute of limitations for those crimes may have passed. This is the legal time limit to file charges. Big Win

Second, the judge’s ruling was a huge public defeat. It showed that the whole process was highly political. It would be hard for the Justice Department to start the cases over again. They would forced to show that the new charges are not just for revenge.

Why This Victory Matters So Much

This ruling is a powerful event. It is a big win for the rule of law. It is a huge defeat for those who wanted to use the legal system for political revenge. Big Win

For Mr. Comey and Ms. James, the win is personal. It clears their names from charges they called baseless. Ms. James said she has “heartened by today’s victory.” She said she would stay “fearless” as she keeps fighting for the people of New York.

More than that, the judge’s ruling sends a clear message. It says that the government must follow the rules. It says that prosecutors must chosen in a legal way. The Justice Department cannot just pick loyal people to go after political enemies. Big Win

The court showed that the process matters more than the politics. The attempt to use the power of the government for political payback has failed. Big Win

The dismissal of criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James is a landmark moment. The charges have thrown out because the person who brought them was hired illegally. This showed that the legal process was faulty from the start.

This victory is a strong defense of the American system of justice. It proves that a judge can stop the government from abusing its power. This is a win for both Mr. Comey and Ms. James. It is a greater win for the idea that the law must apply to everyone, even the most powerful. Big Win

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