Overview
- In an Alexandria hearing, interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan testified that only the grand jury foreperson and one juror reviewed the revised two-count indictment after a third charge was rejected.
- Judge Michael Nachmanoff pressed prosecutors on the irregularity and requested further briefing, as James Comey’s lawyers argued the omission means there is no valid indictment.
- Justice Department attorney Tyler Lemons told the court he was instructed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors prepared a declination memo, asserting privilege.
- Earlier this week, Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered disclosure of grand jury materials, citing possible legal errors, but Nachmanoff has temporarily paused that order while the government appeals.
- A ruling on Halligan’s authority as interim U.S. attorney is expected before Thanksgiving, and a Jan. 5, 2026 trial date remains set but could be affected by the pending decisions.