Former FBI Director James Comey’s attorneys filed a motion Monday seeking to dismiss his criminal case, alleging that President Donald Trump ordered his prosecution out of “personal animus.” The filing in the Eastern District of Virginia argues that the charges violate Comey’s First Amendment rights and amount to “vindictive and selective prosecution.”
Comey has pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing Congress and making false statements during its 2020 investigation into the Russia probe. His legal team claims Trump pressured the Justice Department to pursue charges against political critics and forced out an interim U.S. attorney who refused to comply.
According to the filing, Trump then appointed Lindsey Halligan — described as a “White House aide with no prosecutorial experience” — who indicted Comey just before the statute of limitations expired. Comey’s lawyers are also challenging Halligan’s appointment as unlawful.
A White House spokesperson dismissed the motion as a “frivolous attempt” to deflect from the charges. The Justice Department declined to comment on the case. Trump fired Comey in 2017 after disputes over the FBI’s investigation into his campaign’s possible ties to Russia.
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