VIRGINIA, United States — A federal grand jury in the U.S. state of Virginia has formally indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two criminal offenses related to his September 2020 testimony before Congress.
Mr. Comey, a long-time critic of President Donald Trump, is accused of making false statements and obstructing justice regarding the alleged leak of classified information to the media.
The charges follow a recent call from President Trump for Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively investigate his political adversaries, including Mr. Comey.
The current probe is being led by Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer and assumed her new role earlier this week.
Mr. Comey’s arraignment, where he will formally hear the charges, is scheduled for the morning of October 9 in Alexandria, Virginia.
Details of the charges and official response
Mr. Comey has been charged with one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice. The first count is related to his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he denied having “authorised someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports” regarding his conversations with Trump about the FBI’s investigation into 2016 Russian election interference.
The obstruction of justice charge alleges that Mr. Comey “did corruptly endeavor to influence, obstruct and impede” the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation by giving false statements.
The indictment marks the first time an ex-FBI director has been indicted for a crime. Attorney General Bondi issued a statement, asserting that the indictment “reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.”
Comey maintains innocence and vows trial
Following the indictment, Mr. Comey firmly declared his innocence and expressed confidence in the justice system. His lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, issued a brief statement confirming his client’s denial of the charges, adding: “We look forward to vindicating him in the courtroom.”
In a separate video statement, Mr. Comey addressed the political context of the indictment, which was filed just before the five-year statute of limitations was due to expire.
“My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump,” Mr. Comey said. “We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either,” he continued, adding: “And, I am innocent. So, let’s have a trial.”
If convicted on the two charges, Mr. Comey could face up to five years in prison.
Political context and expert skepticism
The case represents one of the highest-profile indictments of a public figure during Trump’s second term. President Trump wasted no time in commenting on the charges, calling Mr. Comey “one of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to.”
He added: “He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
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Meanwhile, several Democrats swiftly condemned the charges. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries denounced them as “a disgraceful attack on the rule of law,” and promised “accountability” for “anyone complicit in this malignant corruption.”
However, legal experts have noted the difficulty in prosecuting the case. Laurie Levenson, a law professor and former federal prosecutor, told our reporter that proving intent will be the central challenge. “It’s often the defendant’s word against someone else’s and you’re gonna have to look at the credibility of both,” she explained.
“And even if James Comey got things wrong, that doesn’t mean that he knowingly or intentionally lied to Congress. So proving that is going to be the heart of the case.”
Ms. Levenson further suggested that the traditional separation between the White House and the Department of Justice appears to have “collapsed with this case” due to the prosecution being pursued amid the president’s public pressure.
