Summary (tl;dr)

Federal Judge Cameron McGowan Currie has dismissed criminal cases against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey, ruling that the prosecutor who brought the charges, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed by the Justice Department.

Essential Background

Letitia James, the current Attorney General of New York, and James Comey, the former FBI Director, have both been vocal critics of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Under the Trump administration's urging, criminal charges were brought against both individuals. James Comey was indicted on two counts, including making false statements to Congress in 2020 and obstructing a congressional proceeding. Letitia James was indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution related to a Virginia property. Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer to Trump, was appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia to lead these prosecutions, despite lacking prior prosecutorial experience. This appointment faced scrutiny due to concerns it bypassed established legal processes for filling such vacancies.

The Full Story

On November 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie issued rulings dismissing the criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James. The judge concluded that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. Attorney who secured the indictments, was unlawfully appointed to her role by the Justice Department. Judge Currie stated that "all actions flowing from Ms. Halligan's defective appointment, including securing and signing Mr. Comey's indictment, were unlawful exercises of executive power and are hereby set aside." The dismissal came without prejudice, theoretically allowing the Justice Department to refile the charges with a lawfully appointed prosecutor. However, the statute of limitations for the alleged crimes in Comey's case expired in September, which could complicate any attempt to refile those charges. Both Comey and James had consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting that the cases were politically motivated.

Why It Matters

This decision represents a significant legal setback for the Trump administration's attempts to prosecute perceived political adversaries and a rebuke of its methods for appointing federal prosecutors. It reinforces the importance of the rule of law and proper legal procedure in the appointment of government officials, particularly those with prosecutorial power. The outcome highlights concerns about the potential weaponization of the justice system for political ends and has implications for the integrity of federal appointments and the accountability of those in power.

Geographic Location

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia, United States (Judge Cameron Currie's ruling dismissing criminal cases against James Comey and Letitia James)
• Eastern District of Virginia, Virginia, United States (where James Comey was indicted on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, and Letitia James was indicted on bank fraud charges)