News & Current Events

James Comey has filed five pretrial motions in his federal threat case, including challenges arguing the Instagram seashell post was not a true threat, that the prosecution was vindictive and selective, and that search warrant applications were misleading. The government's responses to those motions are due August 18, 2026, with arraignment set for September 30 and trial scheduled for October 21 in New Bern, North Carolina. No rulings on any of the defense motions appeared in the public docket through July 31, and all factual disputes between the parties remain unadjudicated.

Four southern states entered the 2026 election cycle with different redistricting outcomes: Louisiana signed Senate Bill 121 into law on May 29 and Tennessee adopted new districts in May, while Alabama reverted to its 2023 maps by Supreme Court order and South Carolina's legislature adjourned without passing a new map. Both enacted maps face active federal litigation, and neither state's court proceedings have produced a final merits ruling. Across all four states, candidate filing deadlines and primary dates are already set, meaning any further legal changes would affect districts already in use.