Former FBI Director James Comey faces federal criminal charges for making false statements and obstruction of justice, marking the first prosecution of a senior government official connected to the Trump-Russia investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane.
President Donald Trump responded to the indictment by calling Comey “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to” during a Fox News interview Thursday evening.
The charges stem from Comey’s September 30, 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his role in the FBI’s investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
A federal grand jury declined to pursue a third count of additional false statements against the former FBI director, according to court documents released Thursday.
Trump told Fox News that Comey’s actions during the Russia investigation created national instability.
“Comey placed a cloud over the entire nation, and actually, the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax made it very difficult,” Trump stated.
The president escalated his criticism by suggesting the investigation’s impact extended beyond domestic politics.
“It could have caused wars,” Trump added during the interview.
The Daily Mail reported that US Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia filed the criminal charges against a looming statute of limitations deadline set for next Tuesday, according to The New York Times.
Halligan, a 36-year-old former beauty queen appointed after her predecessor Erik Siebert was removed last week, personally presented the case to the grand jury despite advice from subordinates against pursuing charges.
The new US Attorney acted on direct orders from Trump’s administration, rushing the indictment as the prosecution window neared closure.
“The charges as alleged in this case represent a breach of the public trust at an extraordinary level,” Halligan stated.
“The balance of power is a bedrock principal of our democracy, and it relies upon accountability and a forthright presentation of facts from executive leadership to congressional oversight.”
Former US Attorney Siebert had privately informed Justice Department officials that his office lacked sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing against Comey during their investigation.
Trump suggested additional prosecutions could follow when asked about former CIA Director John Brennan. “We’ll have to see what happens,” Trump responded.
“It is up to the Justice Department, but I can tell you, it is a group of people that was very disappointing.”
The president characterized the Russia investigation as surpassing previous political scandals in severity.
“This makes Watergate look like peanuts. They tried to destroy our country,” Trump declared.
Comey responded to the charges by releasing an Instagram video where he called Trump “a tyrant” and vowed to fight the prosecution in court.
“Somebody that I love dearly recently said that fear is the tool of a tyrant and she’s right but I’m not afraid and I hope you’re not either,” Comey stated in the video message.
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The former FBI director indicated his family understood the potential consequences of opposing Trump.
He said, “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump.”
“But we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees and you shouldn’t either.”
Comey expressed confidence in the judicial system despite his concerns about the Justice Department. “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system. I’m innocent, so let’s have a trial and keep the faith.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the charges through social media Thursday evening, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to accountability.
“No one is above the law,” Bondi wrote, per the Daily Mail.
“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.”
The charges focus specifically on Comey’s congressional testimony about his handling of memos documenting private conversations with Trump during his presidency.
Comey had shared seven memos with Columbia Law professor Daniel Richman, who subsequently disclosed details to The New York Times without Comey’s knowledge, according to the former director’s testimony.
During the 2020 Senate hearing, Republicans pressed Comey about FBI leaks during his tenure, including questions about the memo disclosures.
Comey testified under oath that he never authorized anyone to disclose the memos to the media, stating about his friend Richman: “I had no idea he was going to do that.”
A 2019 Department of Justice Inspector General report found that Comey improperly handled the memos but recommended against prosecution because his denial was considered “narrow” in scope.
