In 2017, President Donald Trump shattered norms by firing James Comey as director of the FBI, which was investigating his marketing campaign. Wednesday, Comey is about to be arraigned on criminal charges Trump has sought as a part of a political vendetta.
Comey will seem earlier than a federal choose in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday on costs of offering false statements and obstructing a congressional continuing. He may face a most of 5 years in jail if convicted.
The costs stem from Comey’s 2020 congressional testimony, the place he allegedly lied about his data of a leak of labeled info that was later reported by a number of information shops.
Comey had testified that “he had not authorized someone else to be an anonymous source in news reports,” the indictment mentioned. “That statement was false.”
Trump summarily fired Comey within the first few months of his first time period over the FBI’s investigation into Russian election meddling within the 2016 presidential election. In a social media put up addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi in September, the president openly called for the Justice Department to go after a number of of his political foes, together with Comey.
“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote to Bondi within the social media put up. “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
Comey is anticipated to enter a plea throughout Wednesday’s listening to, and the schedule and date for a trial within the matter – which the previous director has known as for – may be set by the presiding choose.
“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I’m innocent,” Comey mentioned in a video message following his indictment late final month.
The former director added: “Let’s have a trial. And keep the faith.”
Securing the indictment towards Comey proved troublesome for the Justice Department, and one interim US Attorney resigned following continued pressure to deliver felony costs towards Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, each Trump enemies.
Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide who has by no means been a prosecutor, because the Eastern District of Virginia’s interim US Attorney simply three days earlier than she would current the case towards Comey to a grand jury.
Halligan efficiently secured two of the three costs the Justice Department sought towards Comey and has additionally procured the assistance of two federal prosecutors from North Carolina to be a part of the case: Nathaniel Tyler Lemons and Gabriel Diaz.
Earlier this 12 months, Comey was briefly investigated – and was even introduced into the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office for questioning – after posting an image of seashells on a seaside writing out the numbers “86 47.”
The quantity 86 can refer to eliminating or tossing one thing out (in some circumstances by means of loss of life or violent means), whereas 47 corresponds to Trump’s present time period in workplace because the forty seventh president. The costs towards Comey are unrelated to the social media put up.
While prosecutors secured the indictment towards Comey, the highway forward may show troublesome as they are going to probably be pressured to defend towards Trump’s personal fiery statements about Comey and the way they may be used to argue the prosecution was born out of political and private bias.
Trump’s personal attorneys used that very same argument within the federal circumstances introduced towards the then-former president by particular counsel Jack Smith in 2023.
Halligan’s appointment, too, may be known as into query by Comey’s protection group. As some in Republican authorized circles have famous, an interim US Attorney within the Eastern District had already served the 120-day restrict imposed on these not confirmed by the Senate, so her appointment might be invalid.