Ex-FBI chief James Comey faces federal charges for third time

Federal prosecutors have charged former FBI Director James Comey for a third time with leaking national defense information, according to a court filing. This marks the third time the Justice Department has sought to bring criminal charges against Comey, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. While details about the two counts remain limited, Comey's lawyers claim the case is rooted in an alleged disclosure of classified information to the New York Times in October 2016, during his tenure as FBI director.

Comey dismissed the charges outright in a video posted on Substack, referring to them as an "appalling abuse" and claiming his innocence. His lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing they stem from a case that should have been dismissed previously. Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner suggested the case might be subject to a statute of limitations, potentially increasing the likelihood of a dismissal.

The charges against Comey were made public on the same day a federal judge ruled the Justice Department had illegally fired Comey's daughter, Maurene Comey, who was fired from her job as a federal prosecutor in New York in July 2025.