Summary (tl;dr)

A federal judge has dismissed criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, who brought the charges, was unlawfully appointed. This decision is seen as a significant setback for efforts to prosecute political opponents.

Essential Background

Former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were facing criminal charges. Comey was indicted on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, while James was charged in a mortgage fraud investigation. Both Comey and James denied wrongdoing, alleging that the prosecutions were politically motivated and driven by President Donald Trump's desire for retribution against his critics. Lindsey Halligan was appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia by Attorney General Pam Bondi, reportedly after her predecessor was pressured to resign for not pursuing cases against Comey and James. Halligan secured the indictments against Comey and James shortly after her appointment in September 2025.

The Full Story

On Monday, November 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie dismissed the criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James. The judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was unlawful because the Attorney General's authority to make such an interim appointment had expired. Consequently, all actions taken by Halligan, including securing the indictments against Comey and James, were deemed unlawful exercises of executive power and were set aside. While the cases were dismissed "without prejudice," allowing the Justice Department to potentially refile charges, Judge Currie suggested that the statute of limitations in Comey's case had likely expired in late September, making a new indictment improbable. The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling.

Why It Matters

This ruling is a significant rebuke to the Trump administration's efforts to use the Justice Department to pursue what critics have called politically motivated prosecutions against perceived adversaries. The decision underscores concerns about the legality of certain interim appointments to top prosecutorial roles and the potential for weaponizing the justice system. For James Comey, the dismissal with the suggestion of an expired statute of limitations may effectively end the legal proceedings against him. For Letitia James, while the cases can theoretically be refiled, the ruling questions the validity of the initial charges.

Geographic Location

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia, United States (ruling to dismiss criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James)