Justice Department files third charge against former FBI director James Comey

The US Justice Department has charged former FBI Director James Comey with transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information. Court documents unsealed in Washington federal court on Monday detail the latest prosecution against the former director. The allegation centers on the sharing of classified information with a New York Times reporter in October 2016.

The government filed a criminal information on October 5. This procedural step served to pause the 10-year statute of limitations, which was set to expire earlier in the month. A Justice Department spokesperson described the maneuver as a widely recognized practice in federal court. The department stated that it is an ongoing criminal investigation and declined to offer further comment.

This charge adds to two previous federal cases against Comey. Prosecutors previously accused him of lying to Congress regarding media leaks and threatening President Donald Trump in a social media post. A judge dismissed the false statements case. The case involving the threat remains pending before the courts.

Comey’s legal team requested the unsealing of the new document. Patrick Fitzgerald, one of Comey’s lawyers, said in a statement that the filing purports to charge his client with crimes that he did not commit. The defense has already asked a judge to dismiss the case, arguing that it is legally improper.

Comey responded to the news in a video posted to Instagram. He said that the Justice Department is back again and that he remains innocent. He did not provide additional details about the specific allegations or the legal strategy for the upcoming proceedings.