James Comey case 'coming apart at the seams' as crucial evidence collapses: report

The Department of Justice's case against former FBI Director James Comey appears to be unraveling, with new evidence casting significant doubt on the prosecution's central allegations, The New Republic wrote.

Prosecutors claim Comey lied during 2020 Senate testimony when he denied authorizing an anonymous FBI source to speak to news outlets about the bureau's Hillary Clinton investigation — with the alleged source being identified as attorney Dan Richman.

But newly revealed documents show Richman wasn't even employed by the FBI at the time — and that glitch has the government's case "coming apart at the seams," The New Republic wrote.

Documents reviewed by Lawfare reveal critical inconsistencies in Richman's employment status. His first term at the FBI ran from June 30, 2015, to June 30, 2016, serving unpaid and part-time as an advisor on encryption issues.

A handwritten FBI official's note provides a damning detail: "Doc drawn up + sent to OGC for Richman signature. Never signed. Never officially reappointed after June 2016."

That suggests that all evidence prosecutors cited occurred outside Richman's periods of employment at the FBI, The New Republic reported. The DOJ referenced an email chain from October 29 to November 2, 2016 — after Richman's first term ended — and emails and text exchanges in 2017.

The case is further complicated by additional judicial scrutiny. One magistrate judge has already demanded prosecutors stop examining Comey and Richman's communications, concerned about potential attorney-client privilege violations.

A federal judge is now seeking a complete account of the grand jury proceedings, after interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan submitted only a partial record — suggesting the government's case may be even more precarious than initially thought.