Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. He turned himself in this morning, and he faces arraignment on October 9. For a guy who tried to torpedo Donald Trump’s first term as president with Crossfire Hurricane and then likely lied to Congress, it’s about time.
“No one is above the law,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.”
“For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,” added current FBI Director Kash Patel. “Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose.”
President Donald Trump, who fired Comey in May 2017, took to Truth Social to gloat:
JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI. Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Specifically, Comey allegedly violated 18 USC 1505 by obstructing Congress’s probe into the wrongful disclosure of information, as well as making a false statement to Congress regarding authorization of an anonymous FBI source. The latter occurred during an exchange with Senator Ted Cruz in Comey’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020.
Here’s Cruz’s question:
On May 3rd, 2017, in this committee, Chairman [Chuck] Grassley asked you point blank, “Have you ever been an anonymous source in news reports about matters relating to the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation?” You responded under oath, “Never.”
He then asked you, “Have you ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton administration?” You responded again under oath, “No.”
Those answers, Cruz noted, are at odds with statements made by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whom Cruz said, “publicly and repeatedly stated that he leaked information to the Wall Street Journal and that you were directly aware of it and that you directly authorized it. Who’s telling the truth?”
Comey replied, “I stand by the testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017.”
According to the indictment, “That statement was false, because, as JAMES B. COMEY JR. then and there knew, he in fact had authorized PERSON 3 to serve as an anonymous source in news reports regarding an FBI investigation concerning PERSON 1” (a.k.a. Hillary Clinton).
As always, Comey was defiant in response to the indictment. In an Instagram video, 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.”
He added, “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial and keep the faith.”
You know who was innocent? Donald Trump, who did not collude with Russia to win the 2016 election.
You know who was not innocent? Hillary Clinton, who knowingly and deliberately violated federal law with her closet email server, followed by obstruction of justice in “wiping it with a cloth or something.”
So, you’ll forgive me if I don’t trust Comey’s judgment on who’s innocent and who’s guilty. (I don’t trust his judgment about what to post on social media, either.) Likewise, Special Counsel John Durham had a thing or two to say about the FBI’s lack of judgment.
Comey faces up to five years in prison if convicted, but let’s be real — this case won’t end in his conviction.
Why do I say that? Well, the Washington Examiner reports, “U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, a former President Joe Biden appointee, has been assigned to former FBI Director James Comey’s case.”
Oh.
As for the Democrats complaining about Trump being vindictive and seeking retribution, maybe they’re right. He does beat them at their own game. But he makes no bones about the fact that they started it with their disgraceful impeachments and lawfare. If they don’t like the game, well, they made the rules.
Follow Nate Jackson on X/Twitter.
For a fuller background, see Mark Alexander’s archive:
Obama and Biden — What Did They Know and When Did They Know It?
DNI Tulsi Gabbard: Obama and Clinton Were Co-conspirators
Indict the ‘Trump/Russia Collusion’ Conspirators: The Obama/Clinton/Brennan/Comey Cabal
Indict Clinton’s FISA Collusion Conspiracy Collaborators
