A federal judge has scolded the Justice Department for its unorthodox handling of a criminal case against two former FBI officials.

The judge noted that Comey had worked on some of the nation's highest-profile cases and consistently received stellar reviews.

Two former FBI intelligence officials who specialized in foreign election interference were charged Friday with making false statements about their roles in investigating the origins of Hunter Biden's laptop in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.

The release comes at a time when President Donald Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Moscow.

The Trump administration is escalating its fight with California ahead of next month's midterm election, warning that local officials who process and tabulate ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters are putting themselves at risk of criminal investigation and potential prosecution.