The US Justice Department on Monday urged a federal judge to reject James Comey's claim that his prosecution amounts to political retribution, arguing the former FBI director failed to show that he's being targeted as punishment for his criticism of President Donald Trump. Prosecutors defended Trump's September social media post demanding that action be taken in the Comey investigation, contending it reflects legitimate prosecutorial motive and is no basis to dismiss the indictment accusing Comey of lying to Congress in 2020. The filing underscores how Trump's comments have put the Justice Department in a difficult position as Comey and other defendants seize on the president's remarks in efforts to have their cases dismissed ahead of trial. Comey's lawyers told the judge last month that the charges must be thrown out because they were brought out of personal spite at the direction of the president. A lawyer for New York Attorney General Letitia James, another Trump foe who's been
Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey urged a judge Monday to dismiss the case against him, calling it a vindictive prosecution motivated by personal animus and orchestrated by a White House determined to seek retribution against a perceived foe of President Donald Trump. The lawyers separately called for the indictment's dismissal because of what they said was the illegitimate appointment of the US attorney who filed the case days after being hastily named to the job by Trump. The two-prong attack on the indictment, which accuses Comey of lying to Congress five years ago, represents the opening salvo in what is expected to be a protracted court fight ahead of a trial currently set for January 5. The motions take aim not at the substance of the allegations but rather on the unusual circumstances of the prosecution, which included Trump exhorting his attorney general to bring charges against Comey as well as his administration's abrupt installation of a White House aide to serve
James Comey has been charged with lying to Congress in a criminal case filed days after President Donald Trump appeared to urge his attorney general to prosecute the former FBI director and other perceived political enemies. Thursday's indictment makes Comey the first former senior government official involved in one of Trump's chief grievances, the long-concluded investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, to face prosecution. Trump has for years derided that investigation as a "hoax" and a "witch hunt" despite multiple government reviews showing Moscow interfered on behalf of the Republican's campaign, and has made clear his desire for retribution. Minutes after the former FBI director was indicted, his son-in-law Troy Edwards resigned as a federal prosecutor. Edwards quit his job "to uphold my oath to the Constitution and the country", he wrote in a one-sentence resignation letter addressed to Lindsey Halligan, the newly appointed acting US Attorney in Virginia'
Former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday said that the evidence he has seen so far suggests the attack on the US Capitol was a 'planned assault'
Trump's firing of Comey invited strong objections both from the Democrats and the Republicans
Trump's firing of Comey invited strong objections both from the Democrats and the Republicans
Trump's firing of Comey invited strong objections both from the Democrats and the Republicans
Trump didn't just want FBI to stop investigating Mike Flynn. He wanted it to arrest journalists.
Trump has made every person in his orbit look like either a 'liar or a fool'
Comey was investigating connections between Russian hacking and Trump campaign
The FBI has been in turmoil, Trump said
Comey had made clear that he had no confidence in Trump's integrity
Trump's firing of Comey invited strong objections both from the Democrats and the Republicans
He denied asking Comey to end an FBI investigation into Michael Flynn
Trump denied that he asked Comey to pledge allegiance or drop Michael Flynn's investigation
He accused the mainstream American media of allegedly spreading the wrong news
Comey, fired by Trump in May 2017, wrote in "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership" that Trump raised the dossier with him at least four times during meetings
Former FBI Director James Comey reveals his secret twitter account
The 15 pages of documents contain new details about a series of interactions that Comey had with Trump in the weeks before his May 2017 firing
Comey said he was disturbed by Trump's bid to get him to drop probe into former NSA Michael Flynn