--- title: "Comey Lawyers Seek to Block Justice Department Prosecution" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-30T12:45:57.832Z" source_reported: "2026-10-30T11:37:00.000Z" updated: "2026-10-30T13:30:23.499Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-30T13:30:23.373343+00:00" --- # Comey Lawyers Seek to Block Justice Department Prosecution *Attorneys argue against a third criminal case filed by the Trump administration, citing prior investigations.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. One outlet provided a full report; the central claim is attributed to Comey's lawyers. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates fact from comment and names specific individuals and dates. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline promises a legal action that the article details, but uses loaded language like 'outspoken critic'. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey will ask a federal judge to block the Justice Department from pursuing a third criminal case against him. - Court documents unsealed on Monday revealed the Trump administration bypassed a grand jury, filing charges via a 'criminal information'. - Comey's attorneys argue the case is legally invalid and cite a classified memo from prosecutor John Durham recommending no charges in a prior investigation. - The allegations concern a 2016 New York Times story about a secret court order requiring Yahoo to scan emails for foreign terrorist organization links. Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey are seeking to block the Justice Department from prosecuting him in a third criminal case. The attorneys will present their arguments to a federal judge on Friday. Court documents unsealed on Monday indicated that the Trump administration had bypassed a grand jury, instead filing a charging document known as a 'criminal information'. Comey's legal team contends the case is legally invalid. The allegations stem from an October 2016 New York Times report about a secret court order that compelled Yahoo to scan emails for messages potentially connected to a foreign terrorist organization. Federal authorities, including prosecutor John Durham, investigated the disclosure starting in early 2017. ## Disagreement on Prior Investigations According to Comey's attorneys, John Durham wrote a classified memo in December 2018 recommending no criminal charges against anyone in connection with the disclosure. Washington Top News also reported that a second investigation, codenamed 'Tropical Vortex', was closed without charges in early 2020. ## What the coverage left out None of the left or centre-rated reports mentioned the classified memo written by prosecutor John Durham in December 2018 recommending no criminal charges. Similarly, the closure of the 'Tropical Vortex' investigation without charges in early 2020 was not mentioned in any of the left or centre-rated reports. ## Who covered it Shares of the 21 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 52% (11) - Centre: 43% (9) - Right: 5% (1) 1 of 22 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-30T13:30:23.373343+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-30T13:45:06.929Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports focused on James Comey as an 'outspoken critic of President Donald Trump' and a 'frequent target of Republican outrage'. These reports highlighted that the effort to prosecute Comey is part of 'politically charged investigative actions' undertaken by the Justice Department in the lead-up to midterm elections. They also noted Comey's statement that the prosecution is an 'appalling abuse of the Department of Justice'. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports also identified James Comey as an 'outspoken critic of President Donald Trump' and a 'frequent target of Republican outrage'. These outlets noted that Comey's team argues there is 'no valid case against him'. Several mentioned that the case involves allegations of leaking classified information dating back to 2016 and that Comey was previously fired by President Donald Trump. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 7 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 13 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Alternet](https://alternet.org/msn-uk/comey-doj-trump) — Trump DOJ’s third Comey case faces a make-or-break courtroom test - [The Record](https://troyrecord.com/2026/10/30/justice-department-james-comey) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [My Mother Lode](https://mymotherlode.com/news/national/11265904/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Stuff](https://stuff.co.nz/world-news/361053357/lawyers-exfbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-judge-b) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Wral News](https://wral.com/news/ap/james-comey-doj-case-classified-information-october-2026) — James Comey's team seeks to toss third DOJ case filed by Trump administration - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Just - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution/article_a5595566-d455-5372-a199-3bfc1e30afec.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [City News](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/30/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/us-politics/2026/10/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution – WTOP News - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/james-comey-donald-trump-justice-department-lawyers-republican-b3076304.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/fbi-justice-department-james-comey-4aa30c3ed244fa8b6f6eb98293c52917) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/lawyers-fbi-director-james-comey-judge-block-justice-137701405) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/10/30/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Click on Detroit](https://clickondetroit.com/news/politics/2026/10/30/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/james-comey-donald-trump-justice-department-lawyers-republican-b3076304.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [union-bulletin.com](https://union-bulletin.com/news/national/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department/article_920e1dc1-2129-55ba-a49e-c0965bc52b9c.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution/article_9f818e0b-830c-5f72-82d5-6561a1994185.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [St Catharines Standard](https://stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/world/united-states/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution/article_057e8cfb-6e21-582d-82e6-83f3d1c6e1ab.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [NiagaraFallsReview.ca](https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/world/united-states/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department-prosecution/article_4bb0dc0d-665d-5c66-b339-105f50a95413.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution - [Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer](https://messenger-inquirer.com/ap/elections/lawyers-for-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-will-ask-a-judge-to-block-justice-department/article_d9372d7d-f061-5f82-a281-ea4d5472ac81.html) — Lawyers for ex-FBI Director James Comey will ask a judge to block Justice Department prosecution ## Questions **Why are James Comey's lawyers asking a judge to block a prosecution?** Comey's attorneys are seeking to prevent the Justice Department from pursuing a third criminal case against him. They argue the charges, filed via a 'criminal information' bypassing a grand jury, are legally invalid. The allegations relate to a 2016 news report about a secret court order. **What is the basis for the allegations against James Comey?** The allegations concern a New York Times story from October 2016. This story reported on a secret court order that required Yahoo to scan emails for messages potentially linked to a foreign terrorist organization. Comey's lawyers are contesting the validity of any charges stemming from this. **What prior investigations are relevant to this case?** Comey's legal team points to previous investigations into the same matter. They state that prosecutor John Durham recommended no criminal charges in December 2018. A subsequent investigation, codenamed 'Tropical Vortex', was closed without charges in early 2020, according to Washington Top News. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Comey Lawyers Seek to Block Justice Department Prosecution", https://mediabias.news/politics/comey-lawyers-seek-to-block-justice-department-prosecution