By Nate Raymond and Andrew Goudsward

(Reuters) -The federal judge in Virginia assigned to hear former FBI Director James Comey’s criminal case is an ex-public defender who advocated for sentencing reform and was appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff in Alexandria, Virginia, was assigned to the case late on Thursday after Comey was indicted as Trump pursues a retribution campaign against his political enemies.

Comey is slated to make his first appearance before Nachmanoff on October 9, when he is arraigned on charges that he made false statements and obstructed a congressional proceeding.

The indictment alleges that Comey misled Congress by falsely testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2

See Full Page