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Bondi Vows Immediate Appeal After Judge Tosses Indictments of James Comey and Letitia James

Pam Bondi announced the Justice Department will immediately appeal after a federal judge dismissed indictments against James Comey and Letitia James, finding that prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was not lawfully appointed. Comey faced counts related to his 2018 Crossfire Hurricane testimony; James faced mortgage- and bank-fraud charges tied to a 2020 Virginia home purchase. Both defendants deny wrongdoing and their defense teams argued the prosecutions were procedurally defective. Bondi defended Halligan and said she has been designated a special U.S. attorney as the DOJ pursues an appeal.

10:22 AM, 11/25/2025Politics
Bondi Vows Immediate Appeal After Judge Tosses Indictments of James Comey and Letitia James

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday that the Justice Department will pursue all available legal avenues, including an immediate appeal, after a federal judge dismissed criminal indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie overturned the charges after finding that the prosecutor who brought the cases, Lindsey Halligan, had not been lawfully appointed. The ruling agreed with defense arguments that Halligan’s appointment as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was invalid, rendering the indictments defective.

Bondi, speaking in Memphis while highlighting the city’s "Safe Task Force," defended Halligan and said the department has reestablished her authority to proceed in court. "We’ll be taking all available legal action, including an immediate appeal, to hold Letitia James and James Comey accountable for their unlawful conduct," Bondi told reporters. She added that Halligan has been designated as a special U.S. attorney so she can continue to litigate the cases.

"I’m not worried about someone who has been charged with a very serious crime. His alleged actions were a betrayal of public trust," Bondi said.

Comey was indicted in September 2025 on charges alleging he made false statements to Congress and obstructed a congressional inquiry stemming from his 2018 testimony about the origins of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation into possible ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Comey has denied wrongdoing, saying his testimony was "truthful to the best of my recollection" and calling the prosecution politically motivated.

Letitia James was indicted in October 2025 on mortgage- and bank-fraud counts. Prosecutors allege she misrepresented the purchase of a Virginia home in 2020 as a secondary residence to obtain more favorable loan terms and that she benefited by nearly $19,000 over the life of the loan. James has denied criminal wrongdoing.

Defense teams for both Comey and James argued that the prosecutions were procedurally flawed, pointing specifically to Halligan’s disputed appointment. Halligan, a former legal aide to President Trump, was the only federal prosecutor to sign Comey’s indictment and served as acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia when the cases were filed.

Bondi said the Justice Department believes the appeals process can correct the procedural defects identified by the judge and urged confidence in Halligan’s qualifications. The department’s next steps are expected to include filing an immediate appeal of the dismissal and continuing to press the matters in court.

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