Federal prosecutors have filed new criminal charges against James B. Comey, the former F. B.
I. director, accusing him of mishandling national security information in October 2016 that allegedly ended up in a New York Times article, according to court papers unsealed on Monday. The case underscores the Justice Department's aggressive pursuit of Mr. Comey, a prominent critic of President Trump who was fired as F. B.
I. director in 2017. The charges were filed under seal in Federal District Court in Washington this month, allowing prosecutors to proceed without immediate judicial or grand jury approval. Mr. Comey's lawyers have sought dismissal of the charges but have not succeeded. In a video statement, Mr. Comey declared his innocence and called the prosecution an "appalling abuse" of the Justice Department.
Prosecutors allege that around Oct. 4 and 5 of 2016, Mr. Comey knowingly communicated national defense information to unauthorized individuals. The charges stem from an Oct. 5 Times article detailing Yahoo's compliance with a secret court order to scan emails for a computer signature linked to a state-sponsored terrorist organization. Prosecutors claim Mr. Comey directed staff to contact The Times to address inaccuracies in a prior Reuters report, thereby illegally leaking classified information.
The Times declined to comment on sourcing but criticized the prosecution as an attempt to intimidate journalists and sources. Mr. Comey's legal team argues the case is barred by the 10-year statute of limitations, though prosecutors contend the clock has not yet expired.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing