A federal judge just called out the Justice Department for what looks like a rush to judgment in the case against former FBI Director James Comey.
In a fiery hearing in Virginia, Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick of the Eastern District tore into the DOJ for seemingly prioritizing splashy indictments over thorough investigations in cases that grab headlines, as Fox News reports.
This all unfolded during a short, under-an-hour hearing on a Wednesday, where Fitzpatrick zeroed in on the DOJ’s handling of evidence against Comey, a figure long in the crosshairs of conservative ire for his role in past political dramas.
The judge didn’t mince words, grilling prosecutors about data collected from search warrants dating back to 2019 and 2020, now being wielded against Comey. Was attorney-client privilege breached in the process? That’s the question Fitzpatrick raised, and it’s a fair one when trust in the system is already shaky.
He also pointed out the sheer volume of documents involved—a massive pile that the government has had access to for over five years. Meanwhile, Comey’s defense team is scrambling to catch up with far less time to review. Talk about playing on an uneven field.
“The government has had this for five and a half years … this is an unfair burden the government is placing on the defense, but I don’t see another path forward,” Fitzpatrick said during the hearing. If that doesn’t scream imbalance, what does? It’s hard not to wonder if the DOJ is more interested in a quick win than a fair fight.
Let’s rewind to Comey’s arraignment on Oct. 8, 2025, in Virginia, where this legal saga kicked off in earnest. The former FBI chief, once a lightning rod for criticism on both sides of the aisle, now faces charges under a cloud of suspicion about the motives behind them.
Comey’s legal team isn’t pulling punches, arguing that he’s being selectively targeted, with fingers pointed straight at President Donald Trump for allegedly pulling strings. They’ve even moved to dismiss the case entirely, claiming political vendetta over justice.
Their evidence? A September post on Truth Social where Trump publicly urged U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to go after political foes, naming Comey alongside others like Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and New York Attorney General Letitia James. If that’s not a neon sign flashing “bias,” it’s at least a blinking yellow light.
The DOJ, of course, is pushing back hard, filing a 48-page document insisting that Trump’s social media musings had zero impact on their decision to charge Comey. They’re adamant that the call to prosecute came from within their own ranks, not the Oval Office.
“These posts reflect the President’s view that the defendant has committed crimes that should be met with prosecution. They may even suggest that the President disfavors the defendant,” prosecutors argued in their filing.
“But they are not direct evidence of a vindictive motive,” they continued. Nice try, but when the commander-in-chief is publicly naming targets, it’s tough to believe the rank-and-file aren’t feeling the heat. This smells like politics dressed up as procedure.
Adding fuel to the fire, the DOJ is also gunning to disqualify Comey’s defense lawyer over an alleged conflict of interest. That’s another layer of pressure on a team already buried under a mountain of documents and a ticking clock.
Back to Fitzpatrick’s courtroom critique, it’s clear he’s not buying the DOJ’s playbook of speed over substance, especially in cases as politically charged as this one. “Right now, we are in a bit of a feeling of indict first, investigate later,” he remarked. That’s a zinger that hits home for anyone who values due process over partisan point-scoring.
At the end of the day, this case isn’t just about Comey—it’s about whether the Justice Department can be trusted to wield its power without bending to political winds. Conservatives have long warned about weaponized bureaucracies, and while we must respect the legal process, Fitzpatrick’s concerns echo a broader unease about fairness in a system that too often seems swayed by the loudest voices. Let’s hope the truth, not the tweets, wins out.
