Justice Department Appeals Court Ruling on Evidence in Comey Case

Wed Dec 10 2025 06:33:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Justice Department has filed an appeal against a recent court ruling that restricts access to key evidence in the case against former FBI Director James Comey, complicating efforts to seek a new indictment.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department challenged a federal judge's ruling that temporarily barred access to computer files belonging to Daniel Richman, a close friend of former FBI Director James Comey. The judge's order has been deemed a significant obstruction to ongoing investigations into Comey's alleged misconduct regarding media leaks during the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Prosecutors argue that the order hinders their ability to pursue charges against Comey, who was charged last month with lying to Congress. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between Comey and the current administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday took a significant step by challenging a recent court ruling that complicates their efforts to obtain a new indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. The ruling prohibits them from accessing critical evidence contained in the computers of Daniel Richman, a law professor at Columbia University and a close associate of Comey.

This temporary restraining order was issued over the weekend by federal judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who sided with Richman and ordered the return of his files that were seized during a media leak investigation. Prosecutors argue that this ruling acts as a strategic obstruction to their case against Comey.

Richman's defense claims that the Justice Department has retained his materials without legitimate purpose and that their continued searches extend beyond the legal boundaries set by earlier warrants. The tension escalates as the DOJ argues that the matter is essential to determining the legality of Comey’s disclosures to the media related to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email server.

Comey has been charged with lying under oath to Congress regarding whether he authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source for the news media. His legal team asserts that these claims against him are part of a politically motivated attempt at vindictive prosecution. Meanwhile, the Justice Department maintains that the case against Comey remains viable despite previous dismissed charges.

In light of the appeal, Judge Kollar-Kotelly allowed for further filings from both sides, indicating the need to balance Richman's rights to privileged communication against the government’s prosecutorial interests.