Ex-FBI Director James Comey has been charged with federal crimes for actions he took in distributing national defense information to an individual not entitled to receive it, marking the third case filed by Department of Justice prosecutors against him. The charges were filed in federal district court in the District of Columbia.
The charges relate to information Comey and unnamed co-conspirators violating federal law in October 2016. The first count covers the unauthorized communication of information relating to national security, with the second count stating that “such information could be used to injure the United States and to the advantage of any foreign nation—knowingly and willfully communicated, delivered, transmitted, and caused that information to be communicated, delivered, and transmitted to a person not entitled to receive it.”
Reuters reported on the charges Wednesday and Comey had already commented on the matter. “Comey said in a video on Instagram that ‘they’re back again’ and referenced the Justice Department, but did not provide further details,” with the news outlet adding that attorneys representing Comey have already asked for the case to be dismissed.
The legal troubles for Comey continue. In May, Attorney General Todd Blanche said the “86 47” case goes beyond just an Instagram post. He told NBC Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, “The career assistant United States attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career Secret Service agents that investigated this case, didn’t just look at the Instagram post to walk away. That’s why you saw an indictment… notwithstanding the fact that it was last May that the post was made. So I am not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found, as you know. But rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.”
Follow Matt Mercer on X: @mattmercer.