Pattern of Failure as Trump Busted for Weaponizing DOJ Again with 'Profound' Misconduct in Comey Charges
A judge found "profound" misconduct in actions taken by a federal prosecutor who is closely aligned with Trump in her efforts to secure criminal charges against former FBI Chief James Comey.
Surprise! Just kidding. This surprises absolutely no one.
Convicted felon Donald Trump’s pattern of weaponizing the Department of Justice against critics continues to be called out by judges, this time a federal judge noted the raising of “genuine issues of misconduct.”
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Donald Trump swore to get revenge on his critics and anyone who held him accountable to the law, and he is following through on this promise even as he completely ignores the promises that actually got him elected, like lowering grocery prices (taking his own tariffs off of a few items does not count as lowering grocery prices from the point before his tariffs raised them even further).
Trump’s “Justice Department” has gone after his former adviser John Bolton as well as New York Attorney General Letitia James who successfully got Trump convicted of 34 felony charges, and former FBI Director James Comey.
But Trump has been busted again for weaponizing the DOJ against his perceived “enemies” as a Virginia federal judge found “profound” misconduct in actions taken by a federal prosecutor who is closely aligned with Trump in her efforts to secure criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey.
The way the charges were brought “points to a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps, missteps that led an FBI agent and a prosecutor to potentially undermine the integrity of the grand jury proceeding,” U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick wrote.
After Trump called for Comey’s prosecution, Trump’s DOJ, seemingly operating as his personal vendetta arm, charged Comey in September with making false statements and obstruction of justice.
Trump-appointee Lindsey Halligan’s “investigative missteps” as U.S. attorney leading the case against Comey were so “profound” that Fitzpatrick ordered the grand jury materials — including transcripts and evidence — be turned over to the Comey’s defense lawyers.
Reuters noted the pattern of politicization and potential illegalities, “A different judge previously expressed skepticism about the legality of Halligan’s appointment. Other courts have raised alarm about political motivations in Justice Department investigations, and grand juries have rejected cases tied to Trump’s police surge in Washington.”
Fitzpatrick said his order to turn over the grand jury material was an “extraordinary remedy,” but said it was necessary under what he called “unique circumstances.”
USA Today reported that the Judge took the extraordinary step of ordering that the defendant be given access to the grand jury materials because the actions raise genuine issues of misconduct: The government’s “actions in this case – “whether purposeful, reckless, or negligent – raise genuine issues of misconduct, are inextricably linked to the government’s grand jury presentation, and deserve to be fully explored by the defense,” the judge wrote.
Fitzpatrick ordered a court clerk to make grand jury materials available to Comey by 3 p.m. EDT, and for the prosecution to give Comey a “complete audio recording” of the grand jury proceedings by 5 p.m. EDT.
“The charges followed Trump’s ousting of the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, who according to sources had expressed doubts internally about bringing cases against Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after Trump appointed him to lead the office,” ABC News reported.
Naturally, the government immediately sought to pause the order to turn over grand jury materials, because sunlight is never good when one is drumming up charges against anyone who won’t do your bidding like a petty tyrant.
Story continues below.
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