Justice Department brings new national defense information case against James Comey
publishers 35articles 38first reported 26 Oct, 21:18 UTCdeveloping since 27 Oct · 5 editions
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a new criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of transmitting national defense information and conspiring to do so in October 2016.
A criminal information filed under seal on Oct. 5 and unsealed Monday alleges that Comey directed an unidentified person to disclose the information to a reporter. Prosecutors said the disclosure occurred as Comey sought to correct inaccuracies in a Reuters report and involved a New York Times article about secret U.S. surveillance connected to Yahoo. The charging document does not identify the information at issue.
The Justice Department said it filed the information to toll the 10-year statute of limitations, describing that step as a widely recognized federal-court practice. Comey’s lawyers have asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that an indictment was required before the deadline and that the filing is legally invalid.
Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said the alleged disclosure had been examined twice during President Donald Trump’s first administration and that prosecutors brought no charges after either investigation. Comey denied wrongdoing, calling the latest action an abuse of the Justice Department and saying, “I’m still innocent.”
It is the third criminal proceeding brought against Comey during Trump’s second term. A false-statements and obstruction case was dismissed after a judge ruled the prosecutor who obtained the indictment had been unlawfully appointed; the Justice Department appealed. A separate case alleging that Comey threatened Trump remains pending.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 18 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 35
- Source articles
- 38
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 18 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
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