Comey Indicted; DOJ Resistance, Intimidation Claims

The Justice Department indicted former FBI director James Comey on two federal counts — making false statements to Congress and obstruction — over his testimony related to the FBI’s 2016 Russia investigation. Prosecutors allege the obstruction count centers on concrete conduct, possibly tied to Comey’s 2020 statement about an alleged leak, and legal analysts say it carries significant sentencing exposure. Comey denies the charges and is expected to move to dismiss them as vindictive prosecution. Reports say parts of the DOJ resisted the case and a U.S. attorney was replaced after expressing doubts about the evidence, while Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the filing. The case was randomly assigned to U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff and has prompted warnings that the indictment could be aimed at intimidating dissent and chilling public and corporate speech.