Judge Throws Out Cases Against Letitia James and James Comey After Finding Prosecutor Was Illegally Appointed

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey after ruling that the prosecutor who brought the charges was not legally appointed.

The judge found that the interim U.S. Attorney, Lindsey Halligan, was placed into the role through an appointment process that violated federal law. Because her appointment was unlawful, she had no authority to bring indictments against anyone.

The judge wrote that all actions taken by Halligan were “unlawful exercises of executive power.” As a result, both cases had to be dismissed.

This decision does not mean the court declared Comey or Letitia James innocent. The cases were dismissed because the person who filed them had no legal power to do so. The judge made clear that the government could refile the charges in the future — but only if they are brought by a properly appointed, lawful U.S. Attorney.

Whether the cases will be refiled is unclear. For Comey, the legal deadlines may have already passed. For Letitia James, the Justice Department would need to decide whether it wants to move forward again.

The ruling has broader implications. If a prosecutor is unlawfully appointed, every case they touched could now be challenged, reviewed, or thrown out. This could affect many other cases beyond these two high-profile defendants.

For Black communities — and for anyone concerned about equal justice — this moment is important. It shows how critical it is that the justice system follows its own rules. When the system cuts corners, the entire process becomes vulnerable to political manipulation and legal collapse.

This dismissal wasn’t about politics. It was about power — and whether the people using it were legally authorized to do so.

Black Vanguard Media will continue covering the developments as the situation unfolds.