Comey Indicted, Denies Charges Over Congressional Testimony
Former FBI director charged with lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding; he says he is not afraid and will fight the case.
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, tied to his Sept. 30, 2020 testimony on the FBI’s handling of the Trump–Russia investigation. The indictment also alleges he falsely testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to become an anonymous source. In a social-media post after the indictment, Comey said, 'I'm not afraid' and described the costs of standing up to Donald Trump.
The case, handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, seeks to prosecute Comey under 18 U.S.C. 1505 for obstruction of an official proceeding. Prosecutors said he will turn himself in on Friday and an arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 9 before District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee. Patrick J. Fitzgerald is representing Comey; 'Jim Comey denies the charges filed today in their entirety,' Fitzgerald said.
The indictment marks a rare legal turn for a figure who led the FBI during the Hillary Clinton email controversy and the early stages of the Trump–Russia investigation. Comey previously served as special counsel in the Valerie Plame CIA leak probe and as U.S. attorney in Chicago, where he prosecuted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted in 2011. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
FBI Director Kash Patel defended the bureau’s work in the case, praising the career agents and analysts who led the investigation and dismissing claims of politicization as 'wildly false' and reminiscent of the Russia probe narratives. 'They called the balls and strikes and will continue to do so,' Patel said.
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate the indictment, calling Comey a 'dirty cop' and writing that Comey lied. 'Whether you like Corrupt James Comey or not, and I can’t imagine too many people liking him, HE LIED!' Trump wrote. 'There is no way he can explain his way out of it.' He added that the case had been assigned to a Biden-appointed judge.
The case is being handled in the Eastern District of Virginia, and under federal law prosecutors have a five-year window to bring charges. A turning-in is expected this week, with the arraignment set for Oct. 9. The developments come as the long-running Trump–Russia inquiry continues to cast a shadow over U.S. politics.
