Grand Jury Indicts James Comey; Critics Allege Retaliation

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted former FBI director James Comey on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. Prosecutors say the indictment enforces accountability, while critics call it politically timed retribution and note procedural concerns including that grand juries require only probable cause and that one count sought was dropped. The case was presented by U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan after President Trump replaced previous U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert, a change critics say raises questions about timing and discretion. FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the investigation as restoring accountability and ending prior “weaponization” of law enforcement, with Patel denouncing critics as hypocritical. Former White House attorney Ty Cobb told CBS he doubts the case will survive to trial, calling the prosecution “wholly unconstitutional,” and observers across the political spectrum describe the episode as emblematic of escalating politicization and retaliation in the justice system.