Federal Judge Thwarts Prosecutors' Bid for Key Evidence in Comey Case
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked prosecutors from accessing materials from former FBI director James Comey's key ally, Daniel Richman. This development adds significant hurdles to an already uphill case against Comey, who is accused of lying to Congress.
Richman, a Columbia University law school professor and close friend of Comey, had previously sued the government for allegedly unlawful access to his computer as part of the criminal investigation into Comey's alleged falsehoods. The judge's ruling indicates that prosecutors may have improperly accessed sensitive information from Richman's files without obtaining proper authorization.
The case centers around allegations that Comey lied to Congress about whether he authorized leaks and relied on private communications between himself and Richman to support their claims. However, Comey has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, with a federal judge having previously dismissed the charges against him, citing improper appointment of prosecutors.
The government's actions in seeking access to Richman's files without proper authorization may have violated Richman's protections under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. Federal district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the government's actions were likely unreasonable and would remain blocked until December 12.
This decision comes as the prosecution office facing Comey has faced several setbacks, including a federal grand jury declining to approve an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, another political rival of President Donald Trump who has been targeted by baseless allegations.
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked prosecutors from accessing materials from former FBI director James Comey's key ally, Daniel Richman. This development adds significant hurdles to an already uphill case against Comey, who is accused of lying to Congress.
Richman, a Columbia University law school professor and close friend of Comey, had previously sued the government for allegedly unlawful access to his computer as part of the criminal investigation into Comey's alleged falsehoods. The judge's ruling indicates that prosecutors may have improperly accessed sensitive information from Richman's files without obtaining proper authorization.
The case centers around allegations that Comey lied to Congress about whether he authorized leaks and relied on private communications between himself and Richman to support their claims. However, Comey has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, with a federal judge having previously dismissed the charges against him, citing improper appointment of prosecutors.
The government's actions in seeking access to Richman's files without proper authorization may have violated Richman's protections under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. Federal district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the government's actions were likely unreasonable and would remain blocked until December 12.
This decision comes as the prosecution office facing Comey has faced several setbacks, including a federal grand jury declining to approve an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, another political rival of President Donald Trump who has been targeted by baseless allegations.
! I mean can you even imagine how messed up it would've been if they just went ahead and accessed Richman's files without permission? That's like, a total invasion of privacy 
! The fact that the government was trying to do that is already pretty shady, but at least the judge put a stop to it for now. I'm all about protecting our personal info and making sure people are held accountable for their actions 
. And honestly, this just adds more fuel to the fire in Comey's case - it looks like the government might be trying to sweep some stuff under the rug 
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this is happening. It just goes to show that everyone's rights need to be protected, especially when it comes to sensitive information like computer files 
. I mean, can you blame Daniel Richman for wanting to keep his stuff private? It's like, personal space and all that 
. The fact that the government is trying to access his files without permission just shows how desperate they are to get their hands on this evidence 
. But honestly, I think it's good news for Comey 
. And hey, at least we're one step closer to finding out if there's actually any wrongdoing going on 
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. It appears that the prosecutors' attempts to access key evidence in Comey's trial have hit a roadblock, which may indeed hinder their chances of securing a conviction. The fact that Judge Kollar-Kotelly has ruled that the government's actions were likely unreasonable and potentially violated Richman's Fourth Amendment protections is a significant blow to the prosecution's case.
. The fact that Comey has been able to maintain his innocence despite these hurdles suggests that there may be more to the story than meets the eye. I'm not surprised to see the prosecution facing setbacks, given their track record on other cases 
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. This whole thing just adds more fuel to the fire that Comey's case is already pretty shaky...
. The judge's decision to block access to materials from Daniel Richman, Comey's key ally, raises serious concerns about the government's handling of the investigation and potential Fourth Amendment violations 
. The fact that the prosecution office is facing several setbacks, including a federal grand jury declining to approve an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, suggests that the case against Comey may be more fragile than initially thought 
And now they're facing more hurdles in their case against Comey, which is already super complicated. I'm not sure what's going on here, but it seems like the government is trying to play dirty. It's kinda wild that a federal judge had to intervene and block them from accessing Richman's files! 
This whole thing just feels like a big mess, and I'm not sure who comes out on top in the end... 
it's not like he's the only one who'd get caught in a web of lies if they access his files without permission 
anyway, it's not looking good for Comey's case and I gotta say, prosecutors are really struggling right now 
this whole thing just got a lot more complicated with another federal judge stepping in 
It just feels like the gov't is trying to pin something on him and it's not fair to the guy. The system needs to be more transparent and fair, you know? 
... all these twists and turns, it's like they're trying to solve the puzzle from all angles 
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... but until then, it's anyone's guess who'll come out on top 
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. according to stats from 2020, an estimated 70% of federal prosecutions are based on improper searches and seizures - that's a huge number! 
charts showing a steady increase in FBI investigations between 2016-2022 is no surprise given the Comey era 
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and then they'll be all like "we didn't do anything wrong" 
. Maybe he'll get off scot-free after all?