Judge Assigned to Handle Comey Case Said To Be ‘Unflappable’: Report
The federal judge presiding over former FBI Director James Comey’s criminal case is preparing to navigate what’s shaping up to be one of the most politically charged trials of President Donald J. Trump’s second term — a case that cuts to the heart of public trust in America’s top law enforcement institutions.
U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee known for his composure and discipline — traits honed through his fourth-degree black belt in Shotokan Fudokan karate — will face enormous scrutiny as the Comey case unfolds.
According to CNN, colleagues and attorneys describe Nachmanoff as even-tempered and meticulous, a jurist who values fairness and control in high-pressure settings. That temperament will be tested as he oversees the prosecution of the man who once led the FBI — and whose actions helped spark years of controversy surrounding the bureau’s handling of investigations into President Trump.
Comey, who was arraigned Wednesday in Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding. Prosecutors allege he lied to Congress in 2020 — a claim that, if proven, would mark a stunning fall from grace for the onetime FBI chief who infamously inserted himself into the 2016 election.
Legal insiders familiar with Judge Nachmanoff told CNN that he’s a “measured” jurist with a reputation for professionalism rather than partisanship. Prior to his 2021 appointment to the federal district court, Nachmanoff served as a magistrate judge in the same Alexandria courthouse.
“I would call him an apolitical judge,” said Kevin Carroll, a Virginia attorney who has appeared before Nachmanoff. “The judge hasn’t brought politics into it at all. It’s just been straight legal discussion.”
Another defense attorney, Robert Jenkins, praised Nachmanoff’s balanced approach, saying:
“When I learned about the case being assigned to him, I had a great sense that if this is just a politically motivated prosecution, he will discover the right way to deal with it, to make sure that justice is served. If there is some true merit to the allegations contained in the indictment, I think he will do likewise, because he is fair and committed to doing the right thing.”
The indictment was returned by a grand jury in Washington, D.C. — a heavily Democratic jurisdiction that has often been accused of political bias in cases involving Trump-era officials.
Nachmanoff, one of President Biden’s first judicial nominees, was confirmed in 2021 with bipartisan support, including votes from three Senate Republicans. Since then, he has quietly handled several high-profile cases, including a 2024 trial that resulted in the conviction of a health care worker who illegally accessed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s medical records.
Interestingly, Nachmanoff also played a minor but notable role during President Trump’s first term: in 2019, as a magistrate judge, he oversaw the initial hearings for Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, associates of Rudy Giuliani, ordering both men released on $1 million bonds.
Now, in a courtroom once again tied to Trump-era controversies, Judge Nachmanoff will oversee a trial that could further expose the deep fractures and political bias that critics say have long plagued the FBI and the Justice Department.
As President Trump continues his promise to restore integrity and accountability to America’s institutions, the outcome of the Comey trial may prove pivotal in that mission.