Overview
- U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick directed prosecutors to give James Comey’s lawyers all grand jury materials, including minutes and recordings, calling the disclosure an extraordinary remedy.
- In a 24-page opinion, the judge cited a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” and “genuine issues of misconduct” that could justify dismissing one or more counts.
- Fitzpatrick identified “fundamental misstatements of the law” by acting U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan to grand jurors, including statements about Comey’s right not to testify and the government’s burden of proof.
- The court flagged potential violations of attorney‑client privilege and the Fourth Amendment, noting an FBI agent exposed to privileged materials still testified to the grand jury, which the judge called highly irregular.
- The judge questioned missing or incomplete grand jury transcripts and how a second indictment was approved, as separate challenges to Halligan’s appointment and possible appeals proceed with a Jan. 5 trial date still on the calendar.