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| What to know about James Comey's indictment and what happens next | What to know about James Comey's indictment and what happens next |
| (2 days later) | |
| Watch: "I'm not afraid", says James Comey after indictment | Watch: "I'm not afraid", says James Comey after indictment |
| The US Department of Justice has charged James Comey with perjury over testimony he gave to Congress five years ago. | The US Department of Justice has charged James Comey with perjury over testimony he gave to Congress five years ago. |
| The news puts the former FBI boss back in the spotlight nearly a decade after playing a key part in the drama of the 2016 election campaign. | The news puts the former FBI boss back in the spotlight nearly a decade after playing a key part in the drama of the 2016 election campaign. |
| Who is James Comey? | Who is James Comey? |
| After a childhood in New York and New Jersey, the young lawyer worked for various federal prosecutors including Rudy Giuliani in the high-profile Southern District of New York in the late 1980s. | After a childhood in New York and New Jersey, the young lawyer worked for various federal prosecutors including Rudy Giuliani in the high-profile Southern District of New York in the late 1980s. |
| He later made waves as lead prosecutor against celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart, jailed for lying about financial misconduct in 2004. | He later made waves as lead prosecutor against celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart, jailed for lying about financial misconduct in 2004. |
| He scaled the echelons of the justice department, but left for the private sector before President Barack Obama appointed him to run the FBI in 2013. | He scaled the echelons of the justice department, but left for the private sector before President Barack Obama appointed him to run the FBI in 2013. |
| His action as its director in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election campaign, investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, caused a storm. | His action as its director in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election campaign, investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, caused a storm. |
| Breaking with agency norms, Mr Comey announced 11 days before polling day that he was reopening the case due to the discovery of new emails. Then a week later the case was closed again with no further action taken. | Breaking with agency norms, Mr Comey announced 11 days before polling day that he was reopening the case due to the discovery of new emails. Then a week later the case was closed again with no further action taken. |
| The inspector general was critical of Mr Comey's handling of the case and Clinton blamed his actions for her election defeat. | The inspector general was critical of Mr Comey's handling of the case and Clinton blamed his actions for her election defeat. |
| A few months later he was out of a job, fired by Donald Trump, the new president. | A few months later he was out of a job, fired by Donald Trump, the new president. |
| Why did Trump fire Comey? | Why did Trump fire Comey? |
| At the time, Mr Comey was leading an investigation into Russian election interference and whether there were any links between Moscow and Trump's campaign. | At the time, Mr Comey was leading an investigation into Russian election interference and whether there were any links between Moscow and Trump's campaign. |
| The White House said the firing was over Mr Comey's handling of the Clinton probe. Democrats said it was due to the Russia investigation. | The White House said the firing was over Mr Comey's handling of the Clinton probe. Democrats said it was due to the Russia investigation. |
| This assertion was given extra weight when Trump said in an interview that Russia had been on his mind in acting against Mr Comey. | This assertion was given extra weight when Trump said in an interview that Russia had been on his mind in acting against Mr Comey. |
| As a result of the firing, the investigation was placed in the hands of a special counsel. | As a result of the firing, the investigation was placed in the hands of a special counsel. |
| It led to dozens of criminal charges against Trump campaign staff and associates for offences including computer hacking and financial crimes. | It led to dozens of criminal charges against Trump campaign staff and associates for offences including computer hacking and financial crimes. |
| But it did not find that the Trump campaign and Russia had conspired to influence the election. | But it did not find that the Trump campaign and Russia had conspired to influence the election. |
| Watch: Trump says “there will be others” after Comey indictment | Watch: Trump says “there will be others” after Comey indictment |
| Why was Comey indicted? | Why was Comey indicted? |
| The two-page indictment is short on detail, but it says Mr Comey has been charged with one count of making false statements and another of obstruction of justice. | The two-page indictment is short on detail, but it says Mr Comey has been charged with one count of making false statements and another of obstruction of justice. |
| He maintains he is innocent and will prove that in court. | He maintains he is innocent and will prove that in court. |
| Both counts relate to Mr Comey's appearance via video before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2020. | Both counts relate to Mr Comey's appearance via video before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2020. |
| He was being questioned about his handling of the Clinton case and another investigation on pro-Trump election interference by Russia. | He was being questioned about his handling of the Clinton case and another investigation on pro-Trump election interference by Russia. |
| Prosecutors allege Mr Comey misled the Senate by saying he had not authorised a leak to the media about an FBI investigation. | Prosecutors allege Mr Comey misled the Senate by saying he had not authorised a leak to the media about an FBI investigation. |
| The five-year statute of limitations for charges based on that hearing would have expired next week. | The five-year statute of limitations for charges based on that hearing would have expired next week. |
| What was he testifying about in 2020? | What was he testifying about in 2020? |
| It is not clear from the indictment what part of Mr Comey's evidence is being used by prosecutors, or which leak they are referring to. | It is not clear from the indictment what part of Mr Comey's evidence is being used by prosecutors, or which leak they are referring to. |
| One key exchange was when Senator Ted Cruz referred Mr Comey to testimony he had given to Congress three years before, in 2017. | One key exchange was when Senator Ted Cruz referred Mr Comey to testimony he had given to Congress three years before, in 2017. |
| In it, he denied being a source for stories about the Trump or Clinton investigations and denied authorising anyone at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports. | In it, he denied being a source for stories about the Trump or Clinton investigations and denied authorising anyone at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports. |
| Mr Comey told Cruz: "I stand by the testimony you summarised that I gave in May of 2017." | Mr Comey told Cruz: "I stand by the testimony you summarised that I gave in May of 2017." |
| Some Republicans have cited this answer by Mr Comey as potentially false because they say it has been disputed by his FBI deputy at the time, Andrew McCabe. | Some Republicans have cited this answer by Mr Comey as potentially false because they say it has been disputed by his FBI deputy at the time, Andrew McCabe. |
| They point to a report by the justice department's inspector general in 2018 in which Mr McCabe is said to have told investigators that Mr Comey authorised him to leak information to the press. | They point to a report by the justice department's inspector general in 2018 in which Mr McCabe is said to have told investigators that Mr Comey authorised him to leak information to the press. |
| Watch moments from James Comey's 2020 hearing at heart of indictment | Watch moments from James Comey's 2020 hearing at heart of indictment |
| What has Trump said about Comey? | What has Trump said about Comey? |
| The president urged his attorney general last weekend to aggressively go after some of his opponents, naming James Comey among them. | The president urged his attorney general last weekend to aggressively go after some of his opponents, naming James Comey among them. |
| The fact these charges were filed just days later has the president's critics saying he has weaponised the justice department for his own purposes, shattering the independence from political meddling that the agency is traditionally meant to uphold. Conservatives argue that norm was already broken with what they see as partisan investigations against Trump. | The fact these charges were filed just days later has the president's critics saying he has weaponised the justice department for his own purposes, shattering the independence from political meddling that the agency is traditionally meant to uphold. Conservatives argue that norm was already broken with what they see as partisan investigations against Trump. |
| When news emerged of the indictment, Trump posted: "JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI." | When news emerged of the indictment, Trump posted: "JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI." |
| His antipathy to Mr Comey goes back years. | His antipathy to Mr Comey goes back years. |
| After his firing, Mr Comey was critical of Trump and wrote a book recounting conversations in which he said the president had acted like a mob boss by asking him to be loyal. | |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| Mr Comey will appear in court for an arraignment on 9 October where the charges will be read to him and he will enter a plea. The case will then go to trial. | Mr Comey will appear in court for an arraignment on 9 October where the charges will be read to him and he will enter a plea. The case will then go to trial. |
| Trump has said there could be more charges coming against other political figures. | Trump has said there could be more charges coming against other political figures. |
| He has urged prosecutors to charge Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. | He has urged prosecutors to charge Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. |
| House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has denounced his actions as "a disgraceful attack on the rule of law". | House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has denounced his actions as "a disgraceful attack on the rule of law". |