By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday challenged a court order that complicated efforts to seek a new indictment against former FBI Director James Comey by making a trove of evidence off-limits to prosecutors.

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An order issued over the weekend by a federal judge in Washington barred the Justice Department at least temporarily from accessing computer files belonging to Daniel Richman, a close Comey friend and Columbia University law professor who prosecutors see as a central player in any potential case against the former FBI director.

Prosecutors moved Tuesday to quash that order, calling Richman’s request for the return of his files a “strategic tool to obstruct the investigation and potential prosecution.” They said the judge had overstepped her bounds by ordering Richman’s property returned to him and said the ruling had impeded their ability to proceed with a case against Comey.

The Justice Department alleges that Comey used Richman to share information with the news media about his decision-making during the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Prosecutors charged the former FBI director in September with lying to Congress by denying that he had authorized an associate to serve as an anonymous source for the media.

That indictment was dismissed last month after a federal judge in Virginia ruled that the prosecutor who brought the case, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed by the Trump administration. But the ruling left open the possibility that the government could try again to seek charges against Comey, a longtime foe of President Donald Trump. Comey has pleaded not guilty, denied having made a false statement and accused the Justice Department of a vindictive prosecution.

After the case was thrown out, Richman filed a motion that sought the return of his computer records, which the Justice Department obtained through search warrants in 2019 and 2020 as part of a media leak investigation that was later closed without charges.

Richman and his lawyers say that even after that investigation ended, the Justice Department continued for years to hold onto all the materials it had collected from Richman’s computer, email and iCloud accounts despite those files containing a “significant quantum of privileged information.”

Justice Department officials searched the files this year for communications between Comey and Richman that could be used to build a case against Comey. But Richman and his lawyers say prosecutors conducted new, warrantless searches that went beyond the scope of the warrants and retained his files for years without any legitimate purpose.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided with Richman’s lawyers and issued a temporary restraining order that required the Justice Department to return the files and to no longer access them. The Justice Department challenged that order ruling, calling Richman’s request for his materials “a transparent effort to suppress evidence in the Comey matter.”

Prosecutors said Richman’s motion had “effectively enjoined the government from investigating and potentially prosecuting Comey.

“But federal courts cannot enjoin federal criminal prosecutions; a civil plaintiff cannot circumvent bedrock federal criminal procedure via an equitable proceeding like this one,” they said. “So the Court should dissolve its temporary restraining order and deny Petitioner’s motion.”

In response to the Justice Department’s objections, Kollar-Kotelly did not immediately lift her order but did allow for further filings from both sides. She signaled her position that Richman should be given a chance to review the materials and assert any attorney-client privilege claims he thinks are necessary.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

Cracker Barrel posted lower-than-expected sales in its fiscal first quarter and trimmed its revenue forecast for the year as it continued to feel the fallout from a botched plan to revamp its logo and restaurants.

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The Lebanon, Tennessee-based restaurant chain said Tuesday its revenue fell 5.7% to $797.2 million in the three months ending Oct. 31. That was lower than the $800 million Wall Street anticipated, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Cracker Barrel said its same-store restaurant sales dropped 4.7% while sales in its retail shops dropped 8.5%. Those declines were also slightly higher than analysts forecast.

Cracker Barrel said it now expects total revenue of $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion in its 2026 fiscal year. That’s down from $3.35 billion to $3.45 billion previously. The company also said it expects adjusted pre-tax earnings of $70 million to $110 million, down from $150 million to $190 million previously.

Cracker Barrel shares fell more than 10% in after-hours trading Tuesday.

Cracker Barrel announced in August that it was simplifying the chain’s logo as part of a larger plan to modernize the chain’s dark, antique-filled restaurants.

But the move had disastrous consequences. Fans didn’t like that the new logo didn’t include Cracker Barrel’s longtime mascot, an overall-clad man leaning on a barrel, or the words “Old Country Store.” They also rebelled against the store redesigns.

Cracker Barrel backtracked a week later, saying it would keep the logo. In September, the company also suspended its plans to remodel stores. The chain operates around 650 restaurants nationwide, with many in Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

Cracker Barrel shareholders voted late last month to keep company CEO Julie Felss Masino in place despite the logo debacle.

But one of the company’s directors, Gilbert Davila, resigned from Cracker Barrel’s board Thursday after preliminary results indicated that shareholders rejected his reelection. Davila, who joined Cracker Barrel’s board in 2020, is the president and CEO of DMI Consulting, a multicultural marketing firm. He reviewed Cracker Barrel’s advertising as part of his role on the board.

Are you the master of Dad Jokes? Do you instinctively say “ope” when you bump into literally anything? Do you tell people on vacation you’re from MinneSNOWda? If so, then your time has come.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is once again calling on the public’s creativity — and sense of “humor” — for its sixth annual Name a Snowplow contest, in which the winner will not only have bragging rights but will have their “punny” entry painted on a snowplow.

While creativity is welcome, there are a few ground rules to keep things on track:

First rule: keep it clean. Or as MnDOT puts it: “Gosh darn it, nothing vulgar please.” No profanity or inappropriate language will be considered.

Also: One name per person. No repeat winners. All entries must be 30 characters or fewer, including spaces.

And snowplows, MnDOT reminds everyone, are strictly nonpartisan — so no political names or slogans. Wordplay tied to politicians also are a no-go.

Past winning names include Plowy McPlowFace, We’re Off to See the Blizzard and Don’tcha Snow. A full list of previous winners can be found on MnDOT’s Name a Snowplow website.

Once submissions close, MnDOT staff will narrow the entries to a shortlist of the best of the best. Then it’s up to the public to vote in January 2026. The eight winning names will be displayed on real snowplows — one for each MnDOT district across the state.

Snowplow name ideas are being accepted online at dot.state.mn.us/nameasnowplow through noon Friday, Dec. 19. So grab your hot cocoa and marshmallows, summon your inner Will Ferrell (or Tina Fey) and shoot your shot.

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