Former FBI Director James Comey Faces Third Prosecution in Espionage-Related Case

The US Justice Department is attempting to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey for a third time, with court documents made public on Monday accusing him of sharing sensitive national security information in 2016. The case, revealed in a document known as a criminal information filed in Washington federal court, charges Comey with transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information. Prosecutors allege he shared classified information with a reporter from The New York Times in October 2016, connected to an article about US email surveillance published on October 5 that year.
The charging document was actually filed on October 5 but kept sealed until Monday, when it was unsealed at the request of Comey's lawyers. Prosecutors say the filing was made to stop the 10-year statute of limitations on the offence from expiring earlier this month, a move the Justice Department described as a widely recognised practice in federal court. Comey said in a video on Instagram that "they're back again" and insisted, "I'm still innocent," while his lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald said the document purports to charge him with crimes he did not commit. His lawyers have already asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing it is legally improper.
The new case adds to Comey's growing legal battles under President Donald Trump's administration. He was previously charged twice — accused of lying to Congress about media leaks and of threatening the president in a social media post. A judge dismissed the false statements case, while the threats case, linked to a photograph of seashells arranged to spell "8647", remains pending. The latest prosecution is likely to trigger prolonged litigation over its timing, procedure and whether prosecutors will now seek a grand jury indictment.
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