Federal Judge Tosses Lawsuits Against James Comey and Letitia James, Citing Speculation and Lack of Standing

Well, it looks like U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks down in Florida has, once again, tossed out a couple of high-profile lawsuits. This time, the cases were brought by none other than former Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, who you might know now as the head of Donald Trump's Truth Social platform. The targets? Former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Nunes, who certainly isn't shy about making his feelings known, had filed these suits through his company, Truth Social. One suit was aimed squarely at James Comey, alleging that Comey’s actions during the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, specifically regarding FISA warrants for Carter Page, somehow conspired against him. The other took aim at Letitia James, accusing her of a politically motivated campaign in her civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and his businesses. Both, it turns out, fell flat.

Let's dive into the Comey dismissal first. Judge Middlebrooks found Nunes' claims against Comey to be, frankly, a bit too far-fetched, labeling them "too speculative" and lacking a solid, direct link to any actual harm Nunes might have suffered. Nunes was claiming political harm, damage to his reputation, and even financial losses tied to Truth Social – all stemming from Comey's actions way back in 2017. The judge wasn't buying it, noting that Nunes only resigned from Congress to join Truth Social in 2021. That's quite a stretch, you know, to connect events four years apart and claim direct causation. Plus, the judge concluded Nunes simply hadn't provided enough evidence to support a civil conspiracy.

Then we have the lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Here, the issue was even more fundamental: a complete lack of standing. Simply put, Truth Social, the entity filing the suit, had no direct, personal connection to James's civil fraud case against Trump. It wasn't Trump, or his business, directly suing James in this particular case; it was Nunes' social media company. The judge called these claims "dubious" and pointed out that Truth Social just didn't demonstrate any "concrete and particularized injury." You can't just sue someone because you disagree with their actions in another case, especially if you're not directly involved.

It's worth noting that Judge Middlebrooks isn't exactly new to these types of politically charged cases. He's built a reputation for often ruling against former President Trump and his various allies. He famously dismissed a sprawling lawsuit Trump himself filed against Hillary Clinton and others, which accused them of conspiring to rig the 2016 election. So, these recent dismissals fit a pattern, suggesting a judge who prioritizes legal precedent and concrete evidence over what he perceives as politically motivated or unsubstantiated claims.

Ultimately, these dismissals highlight the significant hurdle plaintiffs face in court: you need more than just accusations; you need solid evidence, a clear connection to the alleged harm, and proper legal standing. It seems that even prominent figures like Devin Nunes, and the companies they lead, aren't exempt from these fundamental principles of law, no matter how strongly they feel about their political adversaries.