Clinton-Appointed Judge Orders FBI to Destroy Evidence in Comey Case

[Valletta]

A Clinton-appointed federal judge has ordered the FBI to destroy emails central to the obstruction and false statements case against former FBI Director James Comey, a decision that legal experts warn could cripple prosecutors’ ability to pursue a new indictment and set off a constitutional showdown over separation of powers.

https://conservativebrief.com/clinton-appointed-judge-97506/?utm_source=CB&utm_medium=DJD

An absolutely outrageous order.

 

[camille70]

A Clinton-appointed federal judge has ordered the FBI to destroy emails central to the obstruction and false statements case against former FBI Director James Comey, a decision that legal experts warn could cripple prosecutors’ ability to pursue a new indictment and set off a constitutional showdown over separation of powers.

https://conservativebrief.com/clinton-appointed-judge-97506/?utm_source=CB&utm_medium=DJD

An absolutely outrageous order.

Misleading. The judge didn't order anything destroyed. She ordered the return of materials that were seized and used without a warrant. In face she went so far as to have a copy of the materials submitted to the court in case they manage to get legal authorization to do so.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/12/court-orders-doj-to-return-data-seized-from-comey-friend-00689956

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the material from Richman — an image of his hard drive and files from his iCloud and Columbia University email accounts — was handled with “callous disregard” for Richman’s rights. Prosecutors rummaged through the materials without a warrant as they pursued a slapdash case against Comey, the judge found, calling it a “remarkable breach of protocol.”

However, in a significant concession to prosecutors, Kollar-Kotelly ordered that a copy of all the data the government obtained be deposited with a federal court in Virginia. That provision, the judge said, would ensure that prosecutors could seek to regain access to the materials if they can persuade the court there to do so.

 

[The Barbarian]

Misleading. The judge didn't order anything destroyed. She ordered the return of materials that were seized and used without a warrant. In face she went so far as to have a copy of the materials submitted to the court in case they manage to get legal authorization to do so.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/...return-data-seized-from-comey-friend-00689956

Not merely misleading. Outright lies. Another fake media outlet, it seems. "Conservative Brief" joins the list of potential Russian trollwork.

 

[eleos1954]

A Clinton-appointed federal judge has ordered the FBI to destroy emails central to the obstruction and false statements case against former FBI Director James Comey, a decision that legal experts warn could cripple prosecutors’ ability to pursue a new indictment and set off a constitutional showdown over separation of powers.

https://conservativebrief.com/clinton-appointed-judge-97506/?utm_source=CB&utm_medium=DJD

An absolutely outrageous order.

On December 12–13, 2025, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (in Washington, D.C.) ruled in favor of Richman's motion under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g) for return of unlawfully seized/retained property.She found that the government:

• Violated Richman's Fourth Amendment rights by retaining the data long-term without justification.
• Conducted warrantless searches of the materials in 2025.
• Handled them with "callous disregard" for his privacy rights.

As a remedy, she ordered the Justice Department to:

• Return the original data to Richman.
• Destroy all copies in its possession.

However, as a concession, she required one sealed copy to be deposited with the federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia (where any renewed Comey case would proceed), allowing potential future access only via a new, valid warrant.

Hard to say how this plays out.

 

[The Barbarian]

However, as a concession, she required one sealed copy to be deposited with the federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia (where any renewed Comey case would proceed), allowing potential future access only via a new, valid warrant.

Hard to say how this plays out.

Looks like the judge derailed Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department, while making sure that the information was still available if they could present a legal basis for having it. I doubt if even the corrupt SCOTUS we have would invent such a basis.