Judge ruled DoJ engaged in ā€˜profound investigative missteps’ on way to indicting the former FBI director

Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ruled on Monday that the justice department engaged in a ā€œdisturbing pattern of profound investigative misstepsā€ on its way to indicting Comey. The federal judge directed prosecutors to produce to defense lawyers all grand jury materials from the case.

Fitzpatrick wrote that problems include ā€œfundamental misstatements of the lawā€ by a prosecutor to a grand jury that indicted Comey in September, the use of potentially privileged communications in the investigation and unexplained irregularities in the transcript of the grand jury proceedings.

ā€œThe Court recognizes that the relief sought by the defense is rarely granted,ā€ Fitzpatrick wrote, adding: ā€œHowever, 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.ā€

    • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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      16 hours ago

      Exactly. Willingness to do Trump’s bidding without question is the primary criteria.

      Being blonde and sort-of attractive is a close second.

    • Frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      14 hours ago

      Just musing here.

      Authoritarians think that they should have respect because they have a position. Not because they did the work to deserve respect.

      In 2022, 89.5% of federal defendants pleaded guilty, and 0.4% were acquitted (source). The Trump Administration thinks you get those numbers just because you exist in the DOJ. As opposed to building a case for a long time and only going to trial when it’s already airtight.