Former FBI Director James Comey's lawyers asked a federal judge Friday to block a third Justice Department case against him. The charge concerns a decade-old news media leak.
Why it matters: The case centers on an October 2016 New York Times story about a secret surveillance court order. The order required Yahoo to scan emails for possible links to a foreign terrorist group.
Where they split: The Justice Department calls the filing a lawful way to preserve its deadline, while Comey's lawyers call the case legally invalid.
Center coverage, 6 sources: The center frames it as a procedural fight over whether prosecutors can bypass a grand jury, noting Comey denies wrongdoing.
Left coverage, 13 sources: The left frames the case as a third attempt to prosecute a Trump critic, timed to the midterms and resting on a leak twice investigated without charges.
What’s next: McFadden will decide whether a criminal information can stand without a grand jury indictment.
