A federal grand jury in Virginia has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two charges related to statements he made during a 2020 congressional hearing.
The indictment accuses Mr. Comey of making false statements and obstructing justice during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Specifically, he is alleged to have denied authorizing the leak of classified information to the media concerning an FBI investigation, reportedly involving former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Comey, a longtime target of criticism from former President Donald Trump, responded to the indictment by declaring his innocence and expressing “great confidence in the federal judicial system.”
The charges come just days after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to intensify investigations into his political opponents, including Mr. Comey.
Bondi, who was appointed attorney general earlier this year, said in a statement that the indictment “reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.”
The case is being led by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia, a former personal lawyer to Trump who assumed the role on Monday.
According to CBS News, Mr. Comey is expected to make his initial court appearance as early as Friday. His arraignment has been scheduled for October 9 in Alexandria, Virginia.
The two-page indictment is brief on specifics but confirms both charges stem from Comey’s 2020 testimony concerning the FBI’s handling of two politically sensitive investigations—Russia’s alleged election interference in favor of Trump and Clinton’s use of a private email server.
The five-year statute of limitations on the testimony was set to expire next week.
