James Comey Charged in New Federal Case Over 2016 Disclosure
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for allegedly directing the release of national defense information to a reporter, marking his third federal charge.
A federal information unsealed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. accuses former FBI Director James Comey of knowingly communicating national defense information to an unauthorized individual and conspiring with others to violate the law. The filing states that Comey, "through one or more co-conspirators," directed an unnamed person to disclose the information to a reporter for a national news outlet. The alleged disclosure relates to material provided to The New York Times on Oct. 5, 2016.
Comey has filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that the ten-year statute of limitations for a grand jury indictment on the 2016 incident expired. His attorneys also contend that the Department of Justice filed a sealed "faulty information" to pause the limitations period.
The case follows earlier indictments against Comey, including a September 2025 grand jury indictment in Virginia for false statements and obstruction tied to his 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, which was dismissed after a judge ruled the appointing U.S. attorney was invalidly selected. Comey is also contesting a separate North Carolina indictment alleging he threatened President Donald Trump's life by posting a photo of arranged seashells on Instagram.
In a video posted to Substack, Comey described the new filing as an "appalling abuse of the Department of Justice" and reiterated his claim of innocence, while expressing confidence in his legal team and the independence of the federal judiciary.