The Justice Department is preparing to indict former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly lying under oath during his September 2020 testimony before Congress. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia is reviewing whether Comey committed perjury regarding his knowledge of the origins and operations of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane probe.
Comey testified that he was unaware of significant problems with the FBI’s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant applications used to surveil Trump campaign associate Carter Page. However, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz later concluded that Comey had been briefed on issues related to the Steele Dossier’s credibility and had reason to question its use in securing FISA approvals.
Prosecutors argue that Comey’s statements misled lawmakers about the reliability of evidence submitted to the FISA court and about his personal involvement in approving the surveillance operations. The DOJ must bring charges before the five-year statute of limitations expires in early October.
If indicted, Comey would be among the highest-ranking former law enforcement officials ever charged with perjury before Congress. The case ties into broader investigations scrutinizing top intelligence and DOJ figures involved in the Trump-Russia investigation. That includes prior reviews of Comey’s handling of classified memos and inquiries into former CIA Director John Brennan.
