Botched documents, confused courtroom, shaky indictment: Comey case hangs by a thread

Legal & Political Analysis - An interim US attorney, Lindseay Halligan, with limited prior experience, was appointed to lead a prosecutor's office and indict former FBI director James Comey [1] - The indictment process faced internal resistance, with DOJ headquarters declining assistance and limited support for Halligan [3] - Only 14 out of 23 grand jurors voted to indict Comey, narrowly exceeding the 12-vote threshold [3] - Halligan's courtroom performance was marked by errors and confusion regarding the indictment paperwork [4][5] - A conservative lawyer argues that Halligan's appointment as US attorney may be invalid, potentially leading to the case being dismissed [5] - Legal experts question Halligan's authority to serve as US attorney, citing a violation of federal statute 28 USC 546 regarding interim appointments [7][8][12] - The indictment may be invalid because it was signed by an attorney without proper authority, and the statute of limitations has expired [13][14] Potential Outcomes - The case against Comey could be dismissed due to the invalid appointment of the US attorney and the expired statute of limitations [5][13][14] - Comey seems willing to go to trial, which could influence the defense's strategy [15]