NY Attorney General James Seeks Dismissal Citing Unlawful US Attorney Appointment

New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to file a motion to dismiss her criminal indictment on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who obtained the indictment, was unlawfully appointed by President Donald Trump. Halligan, a former Trump personal lawyer with no prosecutorial experience, was appointed after the previous U.S. Attorney was removed for expressing concerns about the evidence against James and former FBI Director James Comey, who faces similar charges and is also seeking dismissal for the same reason. James was indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The legal filings note that motions to dismiss in both James and Comey's cases are likely to be consolidated. James is scheduled to appear in court in Norfolk, Virginia, and a hearing on Comey's motion is set for November 13. The challenges to Halligan's appointment underscore controversy surrounding the handling of these indictments under President Trump's administration.