Federal Prosecutors Indict Former FBI Director James Comey a Third Time
The charges stem from a 2016 Reuters article and were unsealed on October 26, 2026.
By Kaito Shevchenko ·
Federal prosecutors filed a third criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey on Monday. The charges allege that Comey transmitted national defense information and conspired to do so. This marks the third federal prosecution of Comey since President Donald Trump began his second term.
The case had remained under a judicial secrecy order since October 5, 2026. Prosecutors declassified the documents on Monday, making the charges public. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak stated in the unsealed document that the investigation revealed Comey attempted to correct inaccurate information in the press. The document notes that Comey instructed staff to speak with Charlie Savage of The New York Times about specific concerns regarding a Reuters article.
The incident in question occurred on October 5, 2016. A New York Times article by Savage reported that Yahoo had aided U.S. email surveillance by adjusting its spam filter. Farahnak wrote that this interaction led to the illegal transmission of classified information. The government argues the charges fall within the legal timeframe for prosecution.
Comey’s defense team filed a motion to dismiss the case ten days ago. Their attorneys argue the case has expired under the statute of limitations. They contend the government had 10 years to obtain a formal indictment from a grand jury. Because the government filed the charges as an information rather than an indictment, the defense claims the deadline has passed. Prosecutors counter that the lawyers are misinterpreting the applicable law.
Comey responded to the news in a video posted on Substack on Monday. He called the action an atrocious abuse of the Department of Justice. He stated, "Nothing has changed as far as I am concerned. I am still innocent. I am not afraid of these people and I still believe in the independence of the federal judiciary."
The new case follows two prior prosecutions. A judge dismissed the first case after the Department of Justice used a person who was not actually a U.S. Attorney to seek a grand jury indictment. The second case began on April 28, 2026, in North Carolina. In that instance, Comey was indicted for threatening Trump by publishing a photo of seashells arranged to form the number 8647. Comey has maintained his innocence in all three matters.
Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey’s attorney, said the defense will fight the new charges firmly and publicly. He noted that two separate teams of prosecutors investigated the 2016 article during Trump’s first term and decided not to charge anyone. Fitzgerald stated, "Mr. Comey will fight these charges firmly and publicly."
Source: KVDA
