Judge Questions Justice Department on Comey Indictment

During a hearing on Wednesday, a federal judge confronted the Justice Department regarding its handling of the grand jury indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. Judge Michael Nachmanoff raised concerns about whether interim U.S. Attorney Lindsay Harrigan, who is leading the case, was following directives from President Donald Trump.

Judge Nachmanoff noted that Harrigan had signed a final indictment against Comey for two charges, but this document had not been presented to the entire grand jury. This discrepancy could potentially undermine the legitimacy of the charges, depending on the judge’s view of the situation.

The judge ordered Harrigan, who lacks prior prosecutorial experience and was appointed by Trump in September, to testify. She acknowledged having brought an earlier indictment with three charges to the grand jury, one of which was dismissed.

Tyler Lemons, a federal prosecutor from North Carolina representing the Justice Department, attempted to minimize the issue, stating that the indictments were essentially the same. He explained that a second indictment was only drafted after the grand jury’s deliberations, omitting the dismissed charge.

While Judge Nachmanoff didn’t rule on the charges’ validity at that time, he requested further clarification.

The focus of the hearing was Comey’s claim that the charges were motivated by vindictiveness and should be dismissed. Comey was in attendance, and his attorney, Michael Dreeben, presented his case.

Nachmanoff, who was appointed by Biden, asked Dreeben whether Harrigan was merely a “puppet” executing Trump’s orders or acting as a “stalking horse.” Dreeben indicated that, although he avoided those specific terms, he and his team believed Harrigan was following Trump’s direction, who they argued has long held a grudge against Comey.

This story is still developing, and more updates are expected.