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The Conversation
Peter A. Joy, Professor of law, Washington University in St. Louis

James Comey’s lawyers face an uphill battle to prove selective or vindictive prosecution in his high-profile case

Patrice Failor, wife of former FBI Director James Comey, departs the courthouse following Comey's arraignment hearing in Alexandria, Va., on Oct. 8, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynold/AFP via Getty Images

Soon after President Donald Trump demanded in a social media post that the Department of Justice prosecute his perceived enemy, former FBI director James Comey, Comey was indicted on Sept. 25, 2025, for lying to a Congressional committee in 2020.

Comey’s lawyers have responded, filing a motion on Oct. 20, 2025, to dismiss the charges against him with prejudice – the “prejudice” being legal jargon for barring a refiling of the charges. Comey’s lawyers allege that the Justice Department’s prosecution is both selective and vindictive.

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