Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Thursday following a federal grand jury decision in the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to the Department of Justice, the indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1505. The indictment also alleges that Comey made a false statement in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001 by claiming he did not authorize anyone at the FBI to be an anonymous source.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said:
“No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also issued a statement:
“Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability. For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust. Every day, we continue the fight to earn that trust back, and under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. 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. Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account – no matter their perch. No one is above the law.”
Shortly after the indictment was announced, President Donald Trump responded on Truth Social:
“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!”
The indictment marks a significant development in the long-running fallout from the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election. That probe was later overseen by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose 2019 report found no evidence of criminal conspiracy. A subsequent review by Special Counsel John Durham concluded the FBI failed to act on warnings that it may have been the target of a Clinton campaign effort to manipulate law enforcement for political purposes.
In May, The Dallas Express reported that Comey was questioned by the U.S. Secret Service over a now-deleted Instagram post featuring the numbers “8647,” which some interpreted as a veiled threat toward President Donald Trump. Comey denied any violent intent.
Earlier this year, The Dallas Express also reported on declassified documents from a leak inquiry codenamed “Tropic Vortex,” which suggested Comey may have authorized media disclosures in 2017 about the Trump investigation.
The Department of Justice emphasized:
“An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”