The case towards former FBI Director James Comey is a real bid to carry a public official accountable for wrongdoing — and never an extension of President Trump’s grudges, federal prosecutors argued Monday.
Attorneys for Comey, 64, had moved Oct. 20 to dismiss expenses of mendacity to Congress and obstruction of justice, arguing Trump had focused the previous FBi boss for refusing to quash the long-running “Russiagate” investigation that overshadowed a lot of the forty fifth presidency.
However the Justice Division insisted in a 48-page submitting in Alexandria, Va., federal courtroom that “[t]he societal pursuits on this prosecution are readily obvious and overwhelming.
“The defendant is a former FBI Director who lied to Congress about his conduct whereas on the helm of the Nation’s main federal law-enforcement company,” learn the temporary submitted by prosecutor N. Tyler Lemons on behalf of interim US Lawyer Lindsey Halligan. “His prosecution implicates societal pursuits of the very best order.
“Nonetheless,” Lemons mentioned of Comey, “he asks the Court docket to take the extraordinary step of dismissing his indictment as a result of — he says — he’s being vindictively and selectively prosecuted.”
The DOJ claims Comey falsely informed lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2020 that he didn’t order leaks to the media about FBI investigations.
Comey argued in his movement to dismiss that when profession prosecutors within the Jap District of Virginia refused to open a case towards him, Trump ousted the US legal professional in favor of Halligan, a former private legal professional for the president who had no prosecutorial expertise.
The previous bureau boss additionally cited Trump’s Sept. 20 Fact Social put up directing Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi to go after his “responsible as hell” political enemies — together with Comey — as proof of focusing on.
The DOJ responded that Comey’s declare of vindictive prosecution didn’t meet the “heavy burden” of proof.
“His proof—a mixture of information experiences, socialmedia posts, and hypothesis—is hardly proof in any respect. It actually isn’t ‘direct proof’ of a vindictive motive,” Lemons mentioned. “And it fails to point out that the prosecution was introduced ‘solely’ to punish him for exercising a protected proper.”
Prosecutors added that Trump “doesn’t harbor vindictive animus towards the defendant within the related sense.
“The defendant primarily cites the President’s social-media posts,” the submitting learn. “These posts mirror the President’s view that the defendant has dedicated crimes that must be met with prosecution. They might even recommend that the President disfavors the defendant. However they aren’t direct proof of a vindictive motive … Not one of the President’s social-media posts specific a need for the defendant to be penalized for exercising his First Modification rights. Removed from it.
“The President’s social-media posts are clear on why he thinks the defendant must be prosecuted,” Lemons concluded, “he thinks the defendant is ‘responsible as hell.’ That’s not an expression of vindictiveness.
Comey has pleaded not responsible and is slated to go on trial on Jan. 5, 2026. His authorized group didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
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