Washington: The US Department of Justice has charged former FBI director James Comey with leaking national defence information, marking the third time the political enemy of President Donald Trump has been indicted in the past 13 months.
The charges, unsealed on Monday (US time), accuse Comey with directing an individual, “through one and more co-conspirators”, to disclose national defence information to a reporter for a national news publication in 2016, while he was FBI director.
Comey already faces charges over an Instagram photograph he posted showing seashells on a beach arranged to spell “86 47”. This was alleged to be a death threat against Trump because “86” in restaurant parlance means to get rid of something. It has also sometimes been appropriated as a mob term.
Last year, Comey was indicted on charges of making false statements to a 2020 Senate hearing and obstructing a congressional investigation. But that case was thrown out by a judge who found that the prosecutor bringing the case, Trump’s former personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed.
On Monday, Comey reacted to the latest charges with a video he posted on Instagram. “Well, they’re back – again,” he said.
“It would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice, one that we cannot become numb to.
“Nothing’s changed with me, I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid of these people, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary.
“The next couple of years are going to be hard for all of us. It’s really important that we stand straight, and keep the faith in America.”
Court documents show the charges were filed exactly 10 years after the alleged leak took place – which is the statute of limitations on unauthorised disclosure offences.
The document was signed by Trent McCotter, the acting US deputy attorney general, who was appointed to the role by attorney-general Todd Blanche in April. Blanche is another of Trump’s former lawyers.
More to come
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