Prosecutor Steps Off Comey Case As Legal Challenges Mount

The criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey took another unexpected turn this week after the federal prosecutor who helped bring the indictment stepped away from the case amid mounting legal scrutiny and criticism.

Matthew Petracca, a recently hired assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina, is no longer listed on the prosecution team handling the case against Comey, according to court filings.

Petracca’s departure comes just weeks after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against the former FBI director over a social media post that prosecutors claim constituted a threat against President Donald Trump.