DOJ close to decision on charging ex-FBI chief James Comey for lying to Congress
Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to face indictment in Virginia, with reports suggesting he may be charged for allegedly lying to Congress during his September 2020 testimony regarding a potential information leak.
Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to be indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in the coming days, MSNBC reported on Wednesday, citing three sources.
Recent reports suggest that potential charges against Comey arise from allegations that he falsely testified to Congress on September 30, 2020, about whether he authorised the leaking of specific information.
“The full extent of the charges being prepared against Comey is unclear, but the sources believe that at least one element of the indictment—if it goes forward--will accuse him of lying to Congress during his testimony on September 30, 2020 about whether he authorized a leak of information,” a MSNBC reporter wrote on X, as reported by Reuters.
“The investigation, run by federal prosecutors at the US Attorney’s Office for Virginia’s eastern district, is examining whether Comey made false statements during his September, 30, 2020, testimony to Congress on his handling of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election,” sources told CNN.
This comes just before the five-year statute of limitations for the potential charges expires. While the exact nature of the charges is still unclear, if an indictment is filed, it would represent a major development in the ongoing investigations into Comey's conduct during and after his time at the FBI.
The indictment concerns allegations that Comey may have lied or misled Congress during his testimony on September 30, 2020, particularly regarding whether he authorised the release of certain information related to investigations into the 2016 presidential election and Russian interference.
The case also follows a recent leadership shake-up in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where a US President Donald Trump ally was appointed after the removal of an acting U.S. attorney who had reportedly viewed the evidence as insufficient.
The investigation is being conducted by federal prosecutors from the Justice Department during the administration of Donald Trump, which was notably hostile toward Comey and other political adversaries. The case also follows a recent leadership shake-up in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where a Trump ally was appointed after the removal of an acting U.S. attorney who had reportedly viewed the evidence as insufficient.
(This is a developing story)