Articles by Andrew Goudsward

Politics

Judge finds ‘profound’ missteps in U.S. probe of FBI ex-chief James Comey

WASHINGTON - A U.S. judge on Monday found evidence of misconduct in how a federal prosecutor closely aligned with President Donald Trump secured criminal charges against James Comey, and ordered that grand jury materials be turned over to the former FBI chief’s defense lawyers.Alexandria, Virginia-based U.S. Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick found that Lindsey Halligan, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney leading the case, may have made significant legal errors in presenting evidence and instructing grand jurors who were weighing whether to charge Comey — mistakes that could have tainted the case.“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,” Fitzpatrick wrote in his ruling.