The Justice Department on Tuesday moved to overturn a federal judge’s order temporarily barring prosecutors from accessing computer files belonging to Daniel Richman, a close associate of former FBI Director James Comey, saying the order obstructs efforts to pursue a new indictment.
Richman sought the return of files seized in 2019–2020 during a media leak investigation that ended without charges. His lawyers said the government retained the materials for years, including privileged communications, and conducted searches beyond the original warrants.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the files be returned and barring further access. The Justice Department called the move “a transparent effort to suppress evidence” and said civil plaintiffs cannot block federal criminal prosecutions.
The department alleges Comey used Richman to share information with the media about the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email use. Comey was charged in September with lying to Congress about authorizing an associate as an anonymous source; that indictment was dismissed after a judge ruled the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.
