Trump admin indicts former FBI Director James Comey
Image: Jim Lo Scalzo/Gary Cameron
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted and charged by a federal grand jury on Thursday evening, marking an escalation of a legal campaign by President Trump against his political opponents.
State of play: Comey faces charges of lying to Congress and obstructing justice over testimony he gave in a 2020 Senate committee hearing, which covered the FBI’s handling of two 2016 investigations:
- Its probe into pro-Trump election interference by Russia
- An investigation into Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server
Both of Comey’s charges stem from allegations that he lied by saying he didn’t authorize someone to leak classified FBI information to the media about both investigations.
- Comey, who was indicted less than a week before the statute of limitations expired, denies the charges against him. He faces up to five years in prison if found guilty.
Comey’s indictment came days after Trump publicly demanded that AG Pam Bondi charge his political enemies, including Comey, New York AG Letitia James (D) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
Trump declared the trio "guilty as hell," and said they need to serve swift "justice" for the roles they played in congressional investigations, criminal probes, and civil lawsuits against Trump during his political career.
- The President also took credit for firing Erik Siebert, the US attorney who had previously declined to bring charges against James and Comey due to concerns of insufficient evidence.
- Trump said he replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s former personal attorney, because Siebert wouldn’t prosecute those cases.
Trump’s move has drawn pushback
To Democrats and many members of the legal establishment, the charges against Comey represent an unprecedented case of political persecution for revenge, especially given the fact that the indictment was brought forward immediately after Trump publicly demanded retribution against his political enemies.
On the flip side: Many Trump officials and GOP lawmakers frame the charges against Comey as a justified response to the government "Deep State," which has unfairly conspired to harm Trump’s political career over the past decade through various methods—like Comey’s Russia probe, James’ civil lawsuit, federal indictments, and more.
Looking ahead…Trump on Friday denied that he had a "list" of enemies to prosecute, but also told reporters: "I think there will be others. They are corrupt."
Other names floated by Trump and his officials in the past include Schiff, James, former CIA Director John Brennan, former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, and former national security adviser John Bolton—all of whom are currently under DOJ investigation.
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Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that given Trump’s confessions of political motive and his firing of Siebert, the case against Comey will be very hard to yield a conviction—making it at worst an abuse of political power, and at best a waste of time.
- Others contend that Trump’s action in bringing the indictment against Comey is turning federal law enforcement into a personal tool of oppression and vengeance, and undermining the American justice system’s core promise of fair and equal enforcement of the law.
- “A Comey indictment is at best a waste of time” –WaPo Editorial Board
- “The Comey Indictment Plunges the Country Into a Grave New Period” –NY Times Editorial Board
- “Love or hate James Comey, the events that led to his indictment mean anyone could be next” –Asha Rangappa, San Francisco Chronicle
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that none of the Trump-Comey saga over the years has served America or its interests—but it’s important to note that Comey is as much the antagonist as Trump, and that Democrats’ narrative that Comey’s indictment “shatters norms” is patently false as those norms were shattered when Biden investigated Trump.
- Others contend that Democrats squawking about President Donald Trump “removing guardrails” and “destroying norms” by seeking to prosecute Comey are hypocritical, since they just spent 10 years blowing up every legal precedent to bankrupt, embarrass, and imprison their political enemy No. 1, in President Trump.
- “The Comey-Trump Revenge Cycle” –WSJ Editorial Board
- “Democrats destroyed the norms they want Trump to follow” –NY Post Editorial Board
- “James Comey, on path to prison, promises he’s really, really, really, ridiculously innocent” –Cheryl K. Chumley, Washington Times
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