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Former FBI director James Comey is facing new federal charges, according to a charging document made public on Monday. Why it matters: The charges mark the third time the Trump administration has charged Comey. He has been a subject of the president's ire since his dismissal from the first Trump administration in 2017. Driving the news: Prosecutors allege Comey directed the disclosure of national defense information to a reporter through one or more co-conspirators in October 2016, while he was serving as FBI director. He is charged with participating in the transmission of national defense information and conspiracy to transmit national defense information. The case has been ongoing under seal since early October. What they're saying: A DOJ spokesperson told Axios that the case is an "ongoing criminal investigation" and declined to comment further. The White House referred Axios to the DOJ for comment. The other side: Comey's attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement posted to Comey's Instagram account that the former FBI director "steadfastly maintains his innocence" and will fight the latest charges. Fitzgerald said the case concerns an Oct. 5, 2016, New York Times article that two separate teams of prosecutors investigated during Trump's first administration. Both teams decided not to bring charges, he said. He also welcomed U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden's decision to unseal the case. Catch up quick: Trump fired Comey in 2017 amid the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. His dismissal led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel, tasked with uncovering any links to Russian interference in the election. Mueller's investigation report — released in 2019 — documented extensive Russian interference in the 2016 election but did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia. Zoom out: The charges were made public the same day as a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully fired Comey's daughter, Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor who worked on cases involving Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein. Go deeper: What to know about James Comey and his history with President Trump Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.
document fetched 2026-10-27 02:56 · canonical https://axios.com/2026/10/26/james-comey-national-defense-information-charges