Massive Courtroom Development for James Comey
Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey is once again in the headlines — this time for trying to undermine the legitimacy of President Donald J. Trump’s appointment of his personal counsel, Lindsey Halligan, as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Comey’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the case against him, arguing that Halligan’s appointment was “unlawful” and politically motivated. The move, reported by Axios, is being widely seen as an effort to delay accountability for Comey’s alleged misconduct — and to cast doubt on the integrity of a Justice Department now intent on cleaning up the FBI’s tarnished legacy.
“James Comey, by counsel, will file his motion to dismiss challenging the lawfulness of the appointment of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” his attorneys wrote, adding that they anticipate an “out-of-district judge” may be brought in to preside over the case.
Comey entered a plea of not guilty last week to federal charges of perjury and obstruction, stemming from his 2020 congressional testimony about the FBI’s handling of investigations into President Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The former FBI chief — fired by Trump in 2017 amid revelations of politically charged conduct inside the Bureau — now faces a courtroom reckoning that could define the ongoing fight over accountability in Washington.
President Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan to the post last month following the resignation of former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert. Since taking office, Halligan has brought indictments against both Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, signaling a broader effort to restore equal justice under the law after years of partisan prosecution.
A White House spokesperson told Axios that the president has “full confidence” in Halligan.
“This is a frivolous and desperate attempt by Comey to distract from the facts of his case that even a grand jury recognized,” the spokesperson said.
The case will be overseen by U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee and longtime member of the Virginia legal community. Nachmanoff, who presides in Alexandria, has a reputation for being calm and methodical — qualities that will be tested as he takes on one of the most politically charged trials of President Trump’s second term.
Nachmanoff, a fourth-degree black belt in Shotokan Fudokan karate, is known for keeping his composure under pressure. Colleagues interviewed by CNN described him as “apolitical” and “committed to getting things right.”
Defense attorney Robert Jenkins told CNN that the judge’s even-handed nature means “if this is just a politically motivated prosecution, he will discover the right way to deal with it.” But Jenkins added that if the evidence holds up, “he will do likewise, because he is fair and committed to doing the right thing.”
The grand jury indictment against Comey originated in Washington, D.C., a heavily Democratic jurisdiction — raising further questions among conservatives about whether political bias played a role in the proceedings.
Judge Nachmanoff, confirmed in 2021 with bipartisan Senate support, will now oversee a case that sits at the crossroads of law, politics, and public trust. For President Trump’s Justice Department, it’s an opportunity to prove that no one — not even a former FBI director — is above the law.