Former FBI Director, James Comey, faces a serious federal accusation that could land him in prison. The case is being pursued by the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and it is unfolding in a tense political context following the resignation of the previous prosecutor, Erik Siebert, who opposed bringing charges against both Comey and New York Attorney General, Letitia James.
Federal prosecutors have been working against the clock to file at least one perjury charge against Comey before the five-year statute of limitations expires next Tuesday.
The charge is related to a statement Comey made on September 30, 2020, before the Senate, in which he claimed not to have authorized the leaking of information to the press, specifically regarding the FBI's illegal investigations into Trump's campaign.
During that hearing, Senator Ted Cruz questioned him directly, revisiting a question from Senator Chuck Grassley about whether Comey had authorized anyone in the FBI to act as an anonymous source in reports about the investigations into Trump.
Cruz stated that Andrew McCabe, former FBI Deputy Director, had leaked information to the Wall Street Journal under Comey's instructions. The then bureau director replied that he stood by his previous 2017 testimony, denying that he had given such authorization.
