The Trump administration is attempting to prosecute former FBI director James Comey for a third time, alleging disclosure of classified information. Comey’s lawyers immediately dismissed the effort as legally invalid and barred by the statute of limitations.
The US Justice Department revealed the allegations in unsealed court documents on Monday. This marks the third criminal case the Justice Department has brought against Comey, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, since the Republican president’s return to the White House last year.
The Justice Department stated it filed a “criminal information” to extend the 10-year statute of limitations for bringing a case. A department spokesperson said this is a widely recognized practice in federal court and has been approved by multiple Circuit Courts of Appeals.
However, Comey’s attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said the Justice Department has attempted to charge Comey with a federal crime for the third time in just over a year. Fitzgerald stated Comey steadfastly maintains his innocence and that the current charges are not approved by a judge or issued by a grand jury.
In a video statement, Comey said, “Well, they’re back — again. It would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice — one that we cannot become numb to. Nothing’s changed with me; I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid of these people — and I still believe in an independent federal judiciary.”
Background of the Trump-Comey relationship
Comey was the FBI director when Trump took office in 2017, having been appointed by then-President Barack Obama. He previously served as a senior Justice Department official in President George W. Bush’s administration.
Their relationship was strained from the start, particularly after Comey resisted a request by Trump at a private dinner to pledge personal loyalty. Comey documented this overture in a contemporaneous memorandum. Trump fired Comey in May 2017 amid an FBI investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump’s campaign. That inquiry, later taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, found that while Russia interfered in the 2016 election and the Trump team welcomed the help, there was insufficient evidence to prove a criminal collaboration.
Previous legal challenges and new allegations
The latest allegation concerns an October 2016 New York Times story about a secret court order requiring Yahoo to scan emails for messages potentially linked to a foreign terrorist organization. The story cited two government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Previously, the Justice Department charged Comey twice, accusing him of lying to Congress about media leaks and threatening Trump in a social media post. A judge dismissed the false statements case, while the threats case remains pending.
Impact on the Nepali community and upcoming events
The pace of deportations of Nepali citizens dramatically increased starting January 2025, during Trump’s second term. A total of 140 Nepalis were deported from the US between 2021 and 2024. In the first ten months of Trump’s second term alone, this number reached 306. As of July 2, 2026, US Census estimates indicate 241,049 residents of Nepali origin in the United States.
News of the new case against Comey came the same day a judge ruled on October 26, 2026, that the Trump administration illegally fired Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, from her position as an assistant US attorney. The Justice Department has stated it will appeal this decision.
The US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026, which may also influence the direction of these legal battles.
