US Justice Department indicts former FBI director and Trump critic James Comey
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The news: Former FBI director James Comey has been indicted on federal charges, just days after US Donald Trump demanded the Department of Justice move quickly to prosecute his political rivals.
The context: People familiar with the matter have told multiple outlets that Comey had been indicted by two counts, marking a significant escalation in Trump’s efforts to target his political opponents.
Comey has been reportedly charged with one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice. The Justice Department’s decision came despite objections from career prosecutors who believed there was insufficient evidence for charging Comey.
Trump removed US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia Erik Siebert, who refused to charge Comey. Siebert was replaced by former White House aide Lindsey Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience.
In an apparent reference to Comey, US attorney general Pam Bondi said she would “follow the facts in this case”.
On Saturday, Trump took to social media to demand Bondi to bemoan that “nothing is being done” about Comey and other people he considers his political rivals.
“They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” he wrote.
Comey angered Democrats by reopening an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails controversy during the 2016 campaign, a decision she has argued cost her the election.
But he emerged as a major target during Trump's first term, and has been an outspoken critic of the president since.
Trump fired Comey in 2017, officially claiming he had lost confidence among rank-and-file FBI staff and criticising his handling of the Clinton email scandal.
But he later stated during an interview that his decision was related to Comey's refusal to absolve Trump during an ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign’s collusion with Russia.
Comey later said that Trump demanded “loyalty” from his FBI director at a private dinner between, with Comey simply pledging to “always … [be] honest”.
What they 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,” Bondi said.
