If you're feeling a little bit of deja vu today, I really don't blame you. I felt that, too. I mean, it was only about two weeks ago that a federal judge threw out the criminal cases against two of Trump's perceived enemies, James Comey and Leticia James, ruling that Trump's handpicked US attorney was unlawfully appointed.Now, then days later, Trump's Justice Department tried again to indict James, importing a career prosecutor from another jurisdiction to do it. But again, they failed. And they failed on t ...

Legal Analysis - The dismissal of the case against James Comey was without prejudice, allowing the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to potentially refile the case within six months [1] - The judge ruled that the Attorney General and the President cannot use the same procedure to appoint another interim US attorney; the power to appoint now rests with the district court [1] - James Comey faced charges of obstruction of Congress and lying to Congress, stemming from a 2020 hearing related to his 2017 testimony [1] - The indictment against Comey was secured quickly, just days before the statute of limitations was set to expire [1] - The judge's decision is viewed as a procedural victory, not a substantive one, as the indictment could be refiled with a different US attorney [2] - Other judges have made similar rulings regarding interim appointments by President Trump, suggesting an effort to circumvent the Senate's advice and consent role [7] Political Implications - The Trump administration's appointments clause has been challenged, with a judge ruling against it [2] - The former president may continue to pursue legal actions against his targets, even if unsuccessful, to cause them distress [4][5] - The former US attorney refused to pursue the case against Comey due to insufficient evidence and subsequently lost his job [14] Personnel and Qualifications - Lindseay Halligan's inexperience as an insurance lawyer was apparent during court proceedings [12][13]

So, let's get to our other top story. In an extraordinary concession in court yesterday, prosecutors in the federal case against former FBI Director James Comey admitted the final indictment against him was never presented to the full grand jury. Interim US Attorney Lindseay Halagan, who has had no prior prosecutorial experience, initially presented a three-count indictment, but the jury rejected one of those counts, Justice Department lawyers said yesterday.Then rather than drafting and presenting a new tw ...

What started as a hearing in court this morning over whether the Justice Department's targeting of former director of the FBI, Jim Comey, is indeed a vindictive prosecution ended with the government, the Trump administration, admitting a potentially huge error, a procedural error that could bring about the entire collapse of this case Donald Trump has longed for for nearly a decade. Donald Trump's handpicked US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindseay Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experi ...

Former FBI Director James Comey moved to dismiss the Justice Department indictment against him, filing motions that he was a victim of a vindictive prosecution by President Trump https://t.co/Y4BNbATQIp ...

A lot for us to dig into. MSNBC senior national security reporter David RH is here on set with me and thankfully an MSNBC person officially. Mark Leovich, staff writer at The Atlantic.He's also an MSNBC political contributor. And Barbara McQuade, a former US attorney and professor at the University of Michigan Law School. She's also an MSNBC legal analyst, pros one and all.David, I'll come to you first. Just walk us through what we can expect from Comey today. um was mentioned already, but it's a it's a mot ...

because the other person speaking out and mustering courage is Tish James along with Jack Smith in this news cycle. Um I have never seen Tish James um really sound the note she sounded last night. But the idea that Donald Trump um is going to roll over these people or that these folks once targeted with what is clearly a vindictive prosecution just going on the sights and sounds of his own appointees inside the Justice Department and these US attorney's office um is unprecedented in its own right.So we're s ...

Legal & Political Analysis - Former national security advisor John Bolton is expected to face a complaint or indictment related to improperly kept classified information, potentially fueling perceptions of political retribution [1][2][3] - The speed of the Bolton case is alarming, as the original classification authority determination, normally a months-long process, may have been expedited by White House intervention [7][8] - The case raises questions about vindictive prosecution, especially given the president's open statements about wanting certain individuals prosecuted [16][17] - The Justice Department's actions are being scrutinized to determine if they are based on the law or influenced by political motivations [15][16] Key Figures & Context - John Bolton, a former national security advisor and critic of Donald Trump, previously faced scrutiny from Bill Barr regarding his book publication [9][10][12] - The acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia allegedly did not notify the main Justice Department about the Leticia James indictment, implying external influence [6] - The investigation into Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happens," was previously dropped by Meritt Garland's Justice Department after a change in administrations [13]

Last night, Preer said something that I have been thinking about ever since. It has to do with that message that Trump posted on Truth Social last month, directing his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to prosecute a list of his perceived political enemies. Of course, we now know that this was supposed to be a private message, which we could have all guessed, but now we know that, not a public post disseminated to his 10 million plus social media followers. And according to pre Trump's posting could be a problem ...

Prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia may have an uphill battle ahead of them after former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to their charges as we expected him to, alleging he lied to Congress. And so far, the wheels seem to have already started coming off. I mean, at one point today, Comey's attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, says he didn't receive a draft of a key discovery order from prosecutors until 11 p.m. last night, with Fitzgerald adding, "I confess I was asleep." And then there's t ...