Judge Dismisses Cases Against James Comey and Letitia James: Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Ruled Unlawful

How Trump’s Incompetence Made a Mockery of Federal Prosecution

The judicial slap-down we’ve all been waiting for finally arrived this week when a federal judge dismissed the politically charged cases against James Comey—the former FBI Director who became Public Enemy Number One in Trumpworld—and Letitia James, New York’s attorney general and another frequent fly in Trump’s MAGA ointment.

You might ask, “So the system finally worked?” That’s a generous way of putting it. In reality, the judge’s decision wasn’t just a technicality. This isn’t a little paperwork snafu—this is what happens when you put political vendetta above the law, staff your administration with grifters and yes-men, and think that legal norms are something that only apply to people you don’t like. The case saga started when Trump’s cronies at the Department of Justice decided it would be a great idea to appoint Lindsey Halligan—essentially a political flunky obsessed with MAGA loyalty—as interim U.S. attorney, cutting corners and ignoring the basic legal requirements for installing a real federal prosecutor.

In a move so incompetent you’d think it was out of a bad reality TV pitch session, Halligan’s appointment failed to meet even the minimal legal bar—and that single, gobsmacking screwup has just torched the entire set of indictments Trump was hoping to use for payback against his perceived enemies.

Lindsey Halligan’s Appointment: How to Botch a Federal Job in One Easy Step

Here’s the 411 on what went wrong: Federal prosecutors are required by law (hello, apparently that matters!) to be appointed through a particular process that includes actual Senate confirmation or a clear temporary status. The problem? Trump’s team, in their infinite wisdom, couldn’t be bothered to follow those rules. They installed Halligan, who was about as qualified for the job as a sentient bag of Doritos, through a dodgy appointment that was neither confirmed nor properly documented.

So, when she brought forward indictments against Comey and James, their lawyers did something called “lawyering”—you know, that thing Trumpworld never seems to anticipate—and challenged her standing. Turns out, the judge was more than happy to agree. The result? The charges were torched, with the judge’s opinion reading like a stern memo to every future president: No, you can’t just put your golf buddy in charge of federal prosecutions. Try again.

In the end, what does it say when the system’s guardrails only kick in at the last second, after a lot of political drama and public humiliation? Maybe it’s time to admit that the only thing “fake” these days is the right’s respect for law and order.

Comey, James, and the “Witch Hunt” Boomerang

The real kicker—if there’s any dark humor left in this mess—is that Comey and Letitia James have become MAGA punching bags for years because of their roles in holding Trump and his circle accountable. So when the Trump DOJ tried to slap trumped-up charges (pun absolutely intended) on them, it was less about the “rule of law” and more about taking a sledgehammer to democracy.

Let’s be crystal clear: This is classic projection. Trump’s crowd loves to howl about “weaponizing” the government against their side, even as they flip the playbook and actually do it to their opponents. The reality? They’re just not as good at it. Say what you will about actual law-abiding prosecutors: At least they can fill out the paperwork correctly.

With the grand jury never actually seeing the final indictment (yikes), and with months of legal errors exposed, the MAGA legal crusade has ended where so many of Trump’s schemes do: in embarrassing failure, with everyone at Fox News suddenly pretending they’d never heard of Halligan in the first place.

How the MAGA World is Spinning a Disaster

If you’ve ever wanted a textbook example of cognitive dissonance, look at MAGA media today. Faced with a ruling that exposes abject incompetence, their go-to move is straight out of the conspiracy theorist’s guidebook: “The deep state sabotaged the brave Trump prosecutors!” Yes, that’s actually being said, as if anyone in the legal world can’t see through the flop.

Right-wing commentators are trying to turn the whole thing into evidence that Trump and his loyalists are the real victims. Never mind that the only victims here are the concept of competent governance and the people who actually think the rule of law matters. Let’s also not ignore the right’s persistent habit of undermining any institution that dares to tell them “no,” from the judiciary to the press.

In short: Every time Trumpworld complains about “political prosecutions,” just remember—when they got the chance, their only innovation was to screw up the basics so badly that even a first-year law student could see through it.

What’s Next? The Real Impact on U.S. Democracy

Beyond the schadenfreude, this episode is the stuff civics teachers warn kids about—using public office to punish enemies, scorning legal process, and hiring your most loyal lackeys for jobs that require, you know, actual skill and professional standards.

The judge’s rebuke isn’t just a one-off. It sets a strong precedent that you can’t circumvent the law just because you’re the most powerful person in the room. And while Republicans may continue to shout “witch hunt,” anyone who can read a court order can see what really happened.

In a just nation, this would be a moment for reflection. But given the state of our politics, it’ll likely just be another round in the endless battle between competence and chaos. Hope you’ve got popcorn, or a sedative, depending on your tolerance for stupidity.

Conclusions: The Limits of MAGA Justice

So, what’s the actual lesson here? Apart from “don’t let narcissists staff your Justice Department,” perhaps it’s that as long as there are institutional safeguards, even the most corrupt political plays still risk getting atomized in public view.

The United States dodged a bullet by having this farce play out in court. Maybe next time, voters and public officials alike will remember that the law isn’t just for your enemies—and that installing bootlickers in critical positions ends up hurting your own damn case.

To quote every exasperated legal analyst this week: “Read the rules. Or—better yet—don’t break the damn law in the first place.”