Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on Thursday on two federal counts days after President Donald Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue prosecutions of Comey and other political adversaries. Comey has denied wrongdoing and said he welcomes a trial.
Comey Charges Stem From 2020 Senate Testimony Details
According to an Associated Press report, Comey was indicted on charges of making a false statement and obstruction of a congressional proceeding.
The charges stem from Comey's Sept. 30, 2020, appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Pressed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on whether earlier testimony accurately stated he did not authorize leaks about FBI investigations into Trump or Hillary Clinton, Comey replied: "I can only speak to my testimony. I stand by the testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017."
Prosecutors now allege that the claim was false.
Inspector General Report Complicates Leak Authorization Claims
In a 2018 Justice Department inspector general report, Comey's former deputy, Andrew McCabe, said Comey authorized him to share information with The Wall Street Journal. The same report found McCabe made multiple false or misleading statements about the disclosure, creating sharply conflicting accounts that investigators flagged at the time.
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Reactions, Court Timeline And Broader Justice Context
Trump celebrated the indictment on Truth Social, stating, "JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI… He has been so bad for our Country, for so long… MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Bondi, in a post on X, said, "No one is above the law. Today's indictment reflects this Department of Justice's commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case." Bondi, however, refrained from mentioning Comey’s name in the post.
Comey's arraignment is set for Oct. 9 before U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, who is a 2021 appointee of former President Joe Biden.
The move lands amid broader shifts at the Justice Department. Since returning to the White House, Trump has elevated lawyers who served as his personal defense attorneys to senior DOJ posts, including the likes of Todd Blanche and Emil Bove and has issued sweeping clemency to more than 1,500 people charged in the Jan. 6 attack. He has also publicly pressed Bondi to act against perceived foes.
Comey maintains he is innocent. "I'm innocent. So let's have a trial," he said in a video statement that he shared on Instagram.
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