Lead Prosecutor Removed From DOJ Case Charging James Comey Over Post
A court filing on Friday, May 29, 2026, requested that Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Petracca be removed as lead prosecutor in the Justice Department's case charging James Comey over a social-media post in North Carolina.[1]
Federal prosecutor Timothy Severo was substituted in as the government's lawyer on the Comey docket.[1] Court filings show Petracca has been removed from at least three other cases in the past week, and the filings do not state a reason.[1]
Comey was indicted in North Carolina on one count of threatening the president's life and one count of transmitting an interstate threat over a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged as "86 47." CBS News The trial is scheduled for October 2026, and Comey's lawyers have signaled they will move to dismiss the case as selective and vindictive prosecution.[1]
Prosecutors did not explain the staffing change in the filing, and the substitution arrives as Comey's lawyers prepare a planned motion to dismiss the indictment.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, May 29, 2026, a court filing requested removal of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Petracca as lead prosecutor in the James Comey case.
- Federal prosecutor Timothy Severo was substituted in as the government’s lawyer on the Comey docket.
- Petracca has been removed from at least three other cases in the past week, according to court filings that do not say why.
- Comey was indicted in North Carolina on one count of threatening the president’s life and one count of transmitting an interstate threat over a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged as "86 47."
- The Comey trial is scheduled for October 2026, and his lawyers have signaled they will move to dismiss the case as selective and vindictive prosecution.
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