James Comey, Letitia James going through federal legal prices
Racket Information editor-in-chief Matt Taibbi and Article III Challenge President Mike Davis focus on the costs former FBI Director James Comey and New York Lawyer Common Letitia James are going through and extra on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’
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Federal prosecutors signaled that they could search the elimination of the lead protection lawyer in James Comey’s legal case on Sunday, citing his doable function within the disclosures Comey made in 2017, shortly after President Donald Trump fired him as FBI director in his first time period.
Prosecutors cited the years-long relationship between Comey and the protection lawyer overseeing his case, Patrick Fitzgerald, as a doable battle of curiosity — noting specifically whether or not Fitzgerald might need had any function within the disclosures Comey made throughout Trump’s first time period.
“This reality raises a query of battle and disqualification for present lead protection counsel,” prosecutors mentioned of Fitzgerald, Comey’s longtime good friend and former colleague. The 2 overlapped throughout their time as federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York.
COMEY SEEKS TO TOSS CRIMINAL CASE CALLING TRUMP PROSECUTOR ‘UNLAWFUL’ APPOINTEE
Director of the FBI James Comey greets President Donald Trump in the course of the Inaugural Legislation Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception within the Blue Room of the White Home in Washington on Jan. 22, 2017. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)
Prosecutors on Sunday urged U.S. District Decide Michael Nachmanoff to expedite their request for a so-called “filter group” of attorneys, which might be tasked with reviewing info in Comey’s case, together with privileged supplies.
Prosecutors informed the courtroom the “filter group” may very well be essential to assist make clear the function Fitzgerald could have performed in disseminating info Comey shared after leaving the FBI, together with any supplies which can be protected by attorney-client privilege.
“Based mostly on publicly disclosed info, the defendant used present lead protection counsel to improperly disclose categorized info,” assistant U.S. attorneys Tyler Lemons and Gabriel Diaz mentioned within the submitting, first reported by Politico.
MAURENE COMEY SUES DOJ FOR ‘UNLAWFUL’ FIRING, DEMANDS REINSTATEMENT

The U.S. District Court docket for the Japanese District of Virginia is seen in Alexandria, Va. (Bonnie Money/Getty Photos)
Legal professionals for Comey swiftly opposed the push for the expedited filter group and filter protocol sought by the Justice Division, noting in a separate courtroom submitting Monday that the memos Comey despatched to his attorneys weren’t categorized on the time (a designation made after the very fact).
“In brief, there isn’t a good religion foundation for attributing legal conduct to both Mr. Comey or his lead protection counsel,” they mentioned of Fitzgerald, describing the declare as “provably false” and an effort to defame the lawyer.
“Equally, there isn’t a good religion foundation to say a ‘battle between’ Mr. Comey and his counsel, a lot much less a foundation to maneuver to disqualify lead protection counsel,” they added.
Fitzgerald is one among a number of high-profile attorneys representing Comey in his legal case within the Japanese District of Virginia, the place the previous FBI director was charged final month with one felony depend of constructing a false assertion and one other felony depend of obstruction.
Prosecutors cited a 2019 report from the Justice Division’s Workplace of the Inspector Common. The report excoriated Comey for sharing some details about his interactions with Trump whereas serving as FBI director along with his attorneys, together with info that was later deemed to be categorized.
Nevertheless it additionally concluded that there was no indication “that Comey or his attorneys launched any of the categorized info contained in any of the memos to members of the media.”
The workplace additionally declined to cost Comey with illegally disclosing the data.
Fitzgerald declined to reply to Fox Information’s request for remark.
JOHN BOLTON’S HOME AND OFFICE RAIDED BY FEDERAL AGENTS

Lindsey Halligan, particular assistant to the president, speaks with a reporter outdoors the White Home on Aug. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Nonetheless, the movement comes as prosecutors vie for some early hits of their case towards Comey, which is predicted to come back beneath new scrutiny this week.
Comey’s group in latest days has challenged Trump’s choices within the case, together with his appointment of former White Home aide Lindsey Halligan as performing U.S. lawyer for the Japanese District of Virginia.
Halligan was put in final month to the function after interim lawyer Erik Siebert resigned beneath strain to indict Comey and one other Trump foe, New York Lawyer Common Letitia James.
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Comey’s attorneys beforehand urged that Halligan’s appointment, made three days earlier than a grand jury handed down his indictment, may strengthen their movement to dismiss.
It additionally comes hours earlier than Comey’s attorneys will file a proper movement to dismiss the legal case on grounds of “vindictive” prosecution.