A federal judge ruled that prosecutors with the Department of Justice cannot use evidence connected to a close associate of James Comey in an ongoing investigation — dealing a notable blow to the government’s case.
The decision stems from concerns about how the documents were obtained and whether the associate’s rights were violated during collection. Legal experts say the ruling may force the DOJ to reassess charges and question the viability of portions of its prosecution strategy.
While the judge did not dismiss the case outright, the exclusion of this key evidence increases pressure on prosecutors to locate alternate sources or risk significantly weakening their assertions.