Tensions are intensifying within the Department of Justice over President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint a novice prosecutor to handle sensitive cases against his political adversaries, including James Comey and Letitia James.
Lindsey Halligan, the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, moved ahead with forming a grand jury against former FBI Director James Comey, even though she received minimal backing from Attorney General Pam Bondi’s team.
She was forced to argue the case alone to the grand jury, a person familiar with the matter confirmed.
This isolation was intentional. An administration insider shared with the Daily Mail that Bondi wanted no involvement in the Comey case, as the DOJ doubted Halligan’s ability to achieve an indictment.
When proven wrong on Thursday, the source claimed the DOJ wanted to ‘come in as the hero.’
It seems Bondi wasn’t entirely supportive of Trump’s recent U.S. attorney choice after the president announced on Truth Social last week, expressing to his attorney general: ‘Lindsey Halligan is a really good lawyer, and likes you, a lot.’
Halligan informed the White House that she needed the FBI’s assistance to get up to speed on the Comey case due to Bondi’s DOJ allegedly ‘leaving her out to dry,’ according to the source.
The DOJ and White House did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan (pictured) was described as being ‘left out to dry’ by the Justice Department as she sought a grand jury indictment against James Comey, a source revealed to the Daily Mail.
Comey was indicted on Thursday on two felonies related to statements he made to Congress claiming he did not authorize leaks from the FBI while he was director
Other reports suggest that the DOJ didn’t want to go after Comey yet because they were more focused on landing charges for disgraced former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton, whose home was raided by the FBI last month.
The Daily Mail’s source says they haven’t heard anything about that, and instead claimed it was more about not having faith that Halligan could land a grand jury indictment for Comey.
Comey was indicted Thursday on two felony charges connected to comments he made to Congress in 2020 claiming he did not authorize a leak to the media of sensitive information the FBI had in its possession.
That leak led to the special counsel investigation into whether Trump colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.
Trump announced on September 20 his nomination of Halligan to serve as interim attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. She was sworn in on September 22.
The 36-year-old former beauty queen served as an aide in Trump’s White House before he elevated her to the U.S. attorney post.
Beyond the Comey case, Halligan’s district is also tasked with investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud connected to a 2023 purchase of a home in Virginia.
Halligan’s predecessor Erik Siebert served in the position from when Trump brought him on in January and until he resigned earlier this month following pressure from the Trump administration to pursue criminal charges against political adversaries.
Siebert’s replacement was met with criticism due to Halligan’s lack of prosecutorial experience.
While she was never a prosecutor, she was a personal attorney for Trump.
A source tells the Daily Mial that Bondi and leadership at the Justice Department didn’t want to help Halligan with the Comey case because they didn’t think she would get an indictment
Halligan, 36, is a former beauty queen and was a personal attorney and White House aide to Donald Trump. She was sworn in on Monday as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
It appears that there was some tension over her selection to come on as top attorney in a consequential district in the outskirts of Washington, D.C.
On Truth Social last weekend, Trump complained to Bondi that ‘nothing is being done’ against Comey and urged her to install Halligan.
The president said his attorney general ‘needs a tough prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia, like my recommendation, Lindsey Halligan, to get things moving.’
Halligan was sworn in on Monday, meaning she will be in place for 120 days.
Trump indicated that he would aim to make her new role permanent.
