James Comey Hit With Third DOJ Prosecution Over 2016 Leak
Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a third criminal prosecution by the US Justice Department after prosecutors filed a charging document in Washington federal court alleging he transmitted sensitive national security information to a reporter in October 2016. Legal filings reveal the maneuver halted the 10-year statute of limitations from expiring earlier this month.
Legal team moves to dismiss charges as president labels ex-official a dirty cop
The criminal information, filed on October 5 and unsealed on Monday at the request of the defense, accuses Comey of transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information to a New York Times reporter. Comey’s attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, stated in a filing that the document purports to charge crimes his client did not commit. Defense lawyers have already asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing the legal approach is improper.
A Justice Department spokesperson defended the filing as a widely recognized practice in federal court designed to halt the expiration of the statute of limitations, declining further comment on an ongoing investigation. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, referred to the former director as a dirty cop.
The new case compounds the legal challenges facing Comey, who has already faced two prior Justice Department indictments accusing him of lying to Congress about media leaks and threatening the president in a social media post. A federal judge previously dismissed the false statements case, while the threats prosecution remains pending. Comey addressed the latest development in an Instagram video, stating that authorities are back again while maintaining his innocence.
