Washington — A federal judge on Monday ordered the criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey to be dismissed on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured the indictment, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie is a significant victory for Comey, who has argued his prosecution is retaliatory and motivated by President Trump's efforts to punish his political foes. The Justice Department is likely to appeal Currie's ruling and ask for it to be halted.

But Comey's lawyers are seeking to have the indictment tossed out on numerous other legal grounds, including that his prosecution is vindictive and selective. A decision on that argument remains pending.

This is a developing story and will be

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