Washington,USA- September 26, 2025

In a stunning political and legal development, former FBI Director James Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The indictment, filed in federal district court in Alexandria, Virginia, marks a major escalation in the Administration’s long-running efforts to prosecute political adversaries and one of the most visible figures in the now-concluded Russia investigation.

Hours after the charges were made public, Mr. Comey released a video statement on social media emphatically declaring his innocence and welcoming the chance to challenge the charges in court. “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump… I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial,” Comey stated.

Headline Points (HPs):

 * Indictment Charges: Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on two felony counts: making a false statement to Congress and obstruction of a congressional proceeding.

 * Core Allegation: The charges center on whether Comey lied during his September 2020 testimony when he denied authorizing any FBI official to leak sensitive information to the media regarding the Trump or Hillary Clinton investigations.

 * Political Context: The indictment was filed just days after President Trump publicly urged the Attorney General to prosecute Comey and other former officials, leading critics to denounce the move as an act of political retribution.

 * Statute of Limitations: The filing came just ahead of the September 30 expiration of the five-year statute of limitations for charges related to the 2020 testimony.

 * Resignation: Mr. Comey’s son-in-law, a federal prosecutor in the same office that filed the charges, immediately resigned, stating he was doing so “to uphold my oath to the Constitution and the country.”

The Charges and Alleged Deception

The two-count indictment, filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, centers specifically on statements Mr. Comey made during his September 2020 appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The false statement charge alleges that Comey “did willfully and knowingly make a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement” when he denied authorizing an FBI official to be an anonymous source for news reports on a sensitive FBI investigation. The obstruction charge is tied to the same testimony, alleging he “did corruptly endeavor to influence, obstruct, and impede the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry” by providing false and misleading statements.

Though the indictment itself is sparse on detail, the charges revolve around evidence suggesting Comey authorized his former deputy to share information with a reporter. This action, and Comey’s subsequent denial under oath, forms the basis of the criminal case. Each felony count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

A Question of Political Retribution

The timing and context of the indictment in Washington D.C., USA, have immediately drawn accusations of political motivation. President Trump has been an outspoken critic of Comey since firing him in May 2017, and has relentlessly called for his prosecution. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a staunch ally of the President, issued a statement following the indictment: “No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.”

However, the speed of the indictment—filed just days before the September 30 statute of limitations would have expired—and the fact that it follows a direct call from the President for such action has intensified the debate over the political independence of the Department of Justice. Mr. Comey, for his part, framed the charges as an expected cost of resisting the President, stating: “We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.” He is expected to be arraigned in federal court in early October.