Ex-FBI chief Comey indicted by DOJ
He faces charges of false statements as critics decry political motive
The U.S. Justice Department has filed criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation; if convicted he faces up to five years in prison. Comey denied the charges, posting a video saying he is innocent and expressing confidence in the federal judiciary; his attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said they look forward to vindication at trial.
The indictment marks a major escalation in efforts by President Donald Trump and his administration to pursue political opponents. Trump celebrated the filing on social media. The move follows months of scrutiny of Comey’s 2020 testimony, in which prosecutors allege he misled Congress about authorizing others to serve as anonymous sources for media reporting. A third proposed charge was rejected by the grand jury.
Sources say the case drew resistance within the Eastern District of Virginia: the federal prosecutor initially assigned resigned after expressing doubts, career prosecutors advised against indictment for lack of evidence, and some officials privately questioned the merits. U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, a former White House adviser and Trump personal lawyer, personally presented evidence to the grand jury — an uncommon step typically handled by line prosecutors.
The fallout included the resignation of Comey’s son-in-law, a senior national security prosecutor, who cited his oath to the Constitution; Comey’s eldest daughter was previously fired as a Manhattan federal prosecutor and has sued, alleging the dismissal was linked to her father. Critics and ethics experts called the prosecution politically motivated, saying it breaches long-standing norms intended to shield law enforcement from partisan pressure. Norm Eisen, a former ethics official, described the indictment as emblematic of a vindictive, meritless campaign.
The case is part of a broader pattern under Trump’s second administration of pursuing former officials and critics; the Justice Department has also investigated other high-profile adversaries. The developments compound tensions over efforts to reshape the department’s leadership and practices after Trump alleged it had been politicized during his first term.
