Overview

• A federal grand jury charged the former FBI director with one count of making a false statement and one count of obstruction, with the statute of limitations set to expire next week.
• The case centers on Comey’s Sept. 30, 2020 Senate testimony about whether he authorized disclosures to the press related to the Russia investigations.
• The indictment followed the resignation of U.S. attorney Erik Siebert and the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, whose office proceeded despite a memo from career prosecutors questioning probable cause.
• President Trump publicly pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue prosecutions and hailed the charges once filed, while Bondi stated that “no one is above the law.”
• Comey says he is innocent and will contest the case, with arraignment set for Oct. 9, and a conviction could carry up to five years in prison as the grand jury declined at least one additional proposed count.