Comey, James prosecutions 'send a signal' to those who challenge Trump: Ex-DOJ official

Legal & Political Analysis - The core issue revolves around the legality of Lindseay Halligan's appointment as interim US attorney, specifically whether it circumvented the constitutional roles of presidential nomination and Senate confirmation [4][5] - Judge Curry will rule before Thanksgiving on whether Halligan's appointment is invalid, which could lead to the dismissal of indictments against James Comey and Leticia James [5][6] - The judge questioned whether the dismissal of the case against President Trump due to the unlawful appointment of special counsel Jack Smith should influence the decision in this case [6][7] - The 120-day limit for interim US attorney appointments is not a mere technicality but goes to the heart of the Department of Justice's principles of qualified and nonpartisan leadership [8] - The question remains whether unlawfully appointed Miss Halligan presented these cases, does that mean that the cases themselves need to get dismissed [10] - The process of prosecution itself can be a form of punishment, aiming to inflict financial and reputational damage on those targeted [11][12] - Trump's actions send a signal that he will target those who challenge him, potentially leading to selective and vindictive prosecutions [12][15] - Trump's public statements about wanting to prosecute his political enemies provide ammunition for defendants to argue for case dismissal based on vindictive or malicious prosecution [16][17] - Congresswoman Lmonica Maccgyver's claim of legislative immunity from prosecution was largely rejected, potentially impacting other cases of alleged selective and vindictive prosecution [19][20][21][22]