The federal judge assigned to oversee former FBI Director James Comey’s criminal case is preparing to preside over what is expected to be one of the most closely watched trials of President Donald Trump’s second term.
U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee who holds a fourth-degree black belt in Shotokan Fudokan karate—a discipline that emphasizes composure under pressure—will face intense public and political scrutiny as the proceedings unfold.
Colleagues and attorneys familiar with Nachmanoff described him in interviews with CNN as an even-tempered and disciplined jurist, well-suited to manage the high-profile nature of the Comey case and the attention it is likely to draw.
Nachmanoff, who presides in the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, held Comey’s arraignment on Wednesday morning. The disgraced former FBI director was indicted last month on federal charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding, stemming from allegations that he lied to Congress during testimony in 2020.
Comey pleaded not guilty.
