GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

A federal judge has dismissed# the indictments against former## FBI Director James Comey and New York# State Attorney General Letitia James.

AMNA NAWAZ: In twin rulings today, Judge Cameron# McGowan Currie found the appointment of Lindsey## Halligan as interim U.S.

attorney was invalid# and unlawful.

Halligan had been handpicked by## President Donald Trump to bring criminal charges# against his political foes when a predecessor## refused.

She was then swiftly appointed as interim# U.S.

attorney by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Comey reacted to the news today.

JAMES COMEY, Former FBI Director: I'm grateful# that the court ended the case against me,## which was a prosecution based on malevolence# and incompetence and a reflection of what## the Department of Justice has become under# Donald Trump, which is heartbreaking.

But I was also inspired by the example of the career# people who refused to be part of this travesty.## It cost some of them their jobs, which is# painful, but it preserved their integrity,## which is beyond price.

And I# know they will serve again.

GEOFF BENNETT: And our White# House correspondent, Liz Landers,## asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt# about this today.

Here is her response.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, White House Press Secretary:# I know there was a judge who is clearly trying## to shield Letitia James and James Comey from# receiving accountability.

And that's why they## took this unprecedented action to throw away# the indictments against these two individuals.

But the Department of Justice will# be appealing very soon.

And it is## our position that Lindsey Halligan is# extremely qualified for this position,## but, more importantly, was# legally appointed to it.

AMNA NAWAZ: NPR's national justice correspondent,## Carrie Johnson, is covering# the latest and joins me now.

So, Carrie, let's start with Jim Comey's# case.

He was charged with lying to Congress,## obstructing a congressional proceeding.# The judge in his dismissal wrote today:## "All actions flowing from Ms.

Halligan's defective# appointment, including securing and signing Mr.## Comey's indictment, were unlawful exercises# of executive power and are hereby set aside."

So, Carrie, to be clear, this wasn't about the## charges themselves.

This was# about Halligan's appointment.

CARRIE JOHNSON, Justice Correspondent,# NPR: That's right.

This was about the## way in which the Trump administration# went about installing Li.. who has no prosecutorial# experience, into this job.

The Constitution and federal law gives presidents# a lot of power to pick U.S.

attorneys and gives## the Senate the power to advise the president# and eventually confirm.

But in cases where## that isn't possible, the president can# install temporary people for 120 days.

Those appointments expire after that time, and# there's a complex thicket of rules and laws## about how to proceed thereafter.

In essence,# Judge Currie in this decision said the Trump## administration did this the wrong way and, as a# result, the things that Lindsey Halligan did in## the job, things like indicting Jim Comey,# have to go away, at least temporarily.

AMNA NAWAZ: And what about when it comes to# the charges against Letitia James?

We know## Halligan also secured a federal grand jury# indictment on mortgage fraud charges there.

And Letitia James actually posted a response# today online, saying: "I remain fearless in the## face of these baseless charges as I continue# fighting for New Yorkers every single day."

What else should we understand about that case?

CARRIE JOHNSON: Yes, the Tish James case# was also thrown out by the judge today## using the same reasoning that Lindsey# Halligan's appointment was defective.

And that being said, there's a twist# with the James case that doesn't## apply to the Comey case, and that's that# the statute of limitations as to James## Comey in his testimony to Congress in 2020# was really about to expire right around the## time he was indicted.

So now there's an open# question as to whether Halligan will be able## to or the Justice Department will be# able to reindict him in a valid way.

With James, the statute of limitations has# not yet expired, so there is a path for the## Justice Department a little more easily# at least to try to renew charges against## her.

Her attorney said today they're going# to fight those charges if they come again.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, Carrie, just for# context to remind people here,## we know the Comey indictment came down# about five days after President Trump## had posted online that Comey, James and# California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff## were all -- quote -- "guilty as hell.

"# James was then indicted a few weeks later.

Remind us why President Trump has been# pushing so hard for these indictments.

CARRIE JOHNSON: Well, all three of# these people -- and Adam Schiff has## not yet been charged with any crime.# He denies any kind of wrongdoing.

But Comey and James had both pleaded not guilty# before their indictments were thrown out today.## And they were both targeted at least in part,# they say, because they had investigated Donald## Trump in the past, Comey as former FBI director# Trump blames for the Russia investigation.

And Tish James had proceeded with a civil fraud# suit against Donald Trump and his company,## winning a judgment against them.

The# monetary penalty has been thrown out,## but that case stands.

Trump is still appealing it.

AMNA NAWAZ: Thirty seconds or so left here,# Carrie.

What do we expect to happen next?

CARRIE JOHNSON: Yes, it's quite possible.

Lindsay Halligan has, according to the attorney# general, been appointed to a new job in the## Justice Department, something called special# attorney.

And she may try to go ahead and get new## grand juries to bring new criminal charges against# Tish James and possibly Jim Comey moving forward.

Important to note, Amna, that both# of these people say they were the## victim of vindictive or selective# prosecution, and so they have other## bases to try to get those possible new# charges thrown out down the road too.

AMNA NAWAZ: All right, that's NPR's Carrie# Johnson joining us tonight with the very latest.

Carrie, thank you.

CARRIE JOHNSON: Thank you.