PROF. JOHN BANZHAF: Trump’s Complaint Against Comey Likely to Fail, But Be Effective: He’s Off the Hook as a Former Employee, But Mere Filing Can Have Major Impacts.

However, notes Banzhaf, even a complaint which fails legally, and does not trigger any prosecution or other adverse action against the respondent, can be very beneficial to Trump and his team.

First, the actual filing of the complaint is bound to generate considerable publicity, thereby providing an additional opportunity for his lawyers to try to explain in great detail to the public why they think Comey’s conduct was wrongful and even illegal.

Second, the filing and resulting investigation would undercut Comey’s credibility as a witness in any criminal proceeding, in the ongoing credibility battle between himself and Trump, and generally in the eyes of the public, suggests Banzhaf.

Third, it could create an apparent conflict of interest in the eyes of many since the same agency which would supposedly be conducting an impartial investigation of Comey is at the very same time working with him to obtain documents and testimony for Mueller’s investigation.

Moreover, since Comey’s own testimony strongly suggested that he and Mueller are friends, Trump can claim that Mueller will try to persuade those investigating the complaint against Comey to go easy on him – a bizarre parallel to what Comey claims Trump asked him to do regarding Michael Flynn.

Many of the complaints I filed were not successful from a legal point of view, but nevertheless managed to help me achieve public interest goals, says Banzhaf.

Hmm.