US judge orders DOJ to turn over Comey grand jury materials, citing ‘misconduct’

Former FBI Director James Comey speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill Washington, Dec. 17, 2018. (AP Photo)

A US judge on Monday found evidence of “government misconduct” in how a prosecutor aligned with President Donald Trump secured criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and ordered that grand jury materials be turned over to Comey’s defense team.

US Magistrate Judge William Fitzgerald of the Eastern District of Virginia found that Lindsey Halligan, the Trump-appointed US attorney leading the case, may have made significant legal errors in presenting evidence and instructing grand jurors who were weighing whether to charge Comey.

“The record 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,” Fitzgerald wrote in his ruling.

Comey has pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation. He is one of three perceived political enemies of Trump who have been criminally charged by the Justice Department in recent weeks.