Federal prosecutors charged former FBI Director James Comey with leaking national defense information. This marks his third criminal case since 2025.
Federal prosecutors recently filed new charges against former FBI Director James Comey. The court documents accuse him of leaking national defense information. This marks the third time the Justice Department has targeted him with criminal charges.
Meanwhile, the specific counts remain vague in the three-page filing. Comey's legal team claims the case involves a 2016 disclosure to the New York Times. At the time, Comey led the FBI.
Also, Comey strongly denies any wrongdoing. He posted a video online calling the situation an appalling abuse of power. He insists he remains innocent and continues to trust the federal judiciary.
Next, prosecutors filed these charges as a criminal information. This document differs from an indictment because it skips the grand jury process. Patrick Fitzgerald, who represents Comey, says the government already investigated this matter twice.
Furthermore, the legal team notes that previous investigations found no reason to press charges. They have now filed a motion to dismiss this new case. Experts suggest the motion has a strong chance of success due to time limits.
As a result, some observers view this as a revenge-fueled attempt by the administration. Former prosecutor Glenn Kirschner believes the case lacks merit. Tensions between Comey and Donald Trump began when Trump fired him years ago.
Still, this is not the first time Comey has faced legal trouble. A grand jury indicted him in 2025 for allegedly lying to Congress. That specific case ended with a dismissal later that year.
Additionally, Comey surrendered to authorities in April 2026. Prosecutors alleged that an Instagram post of his threatened the president's life. He denies understanding the meaning of the numbers in that photo.
Finally, these new charges surfaced on a busy legal day. A federal judge recently ruled that the government illegally fired Comey’s daughter, Maurene. The court ordered her reinstatement and mandated back pay for her termination.