Overview

• Justice Department officials said a federal grand jury charged the former FBI director with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional investigation tied to the 2016 Russia probe.
• Prosecutors said a conviction could carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, a figure cited by newly appointed U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan.
• Trump had recently urged action and hailed the indictment on Truth Social as “Justice in America,” attacking Comey as corrupt.
• Justice Secretary Pam Bondi stated that nobody is above the law, with FBI Director Kash Patel issuing supportive remarks.
• Comey is the first senior official connected to the Russia investigation to face criminal prosecution, and news reports say the alleged false statement relates to his Sept. 30, 2020 congressional testimony.