Donald Trump’s handpicked U.S. Legal professional in Virginia is planning to ask a grand jury within the coming days to indict former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly mendacity to Congress, regardless of prosecutors and investigators figuring out there was inadequate proof to cost him, sources with direct data of the probe advised ABC Information.
Earlier this week, prosecutors offered Lindsey Halligan — Trump’s former private lawyer whom he appointed to lead the USA Legal professional’s Workplace for the Jap District of Virginia — with an in depth memo recommending that she decline to deliver perjury and obstruction fees towards Comey, the sources aware of the memo mentioned.
A monthslong investigation into Comey by DOJ prosecutors failed to ascertain possible reason behind a criminal offense — which means that not solely would they be unable to safe a conviction of Comey by proving the claims past an inexpensive doubt, however that they couldn’t attain a considerably decrease normal to safe an indictment, the sources mentioned.
Former FBI Director James Comey testifies earlier than the Senate Intelligence Committee, Washington D.C., June 8, 2017.
Mark Reinstein/Corbis by way of Getty Photographs
In keeping with Justice Department guidelines, prosecutors are typically barred from bringing fees until they will show a defendant will “extra possible than not be discovered responsible past an inexpensive doubt by an unbiased trier of truth and that the conviction can be upheld on enchantment.”
Regardless of their suggestions, Halligan — who has by no means prosecuted a legal case in her profession as an insurance coverage lawyer — plans to current proof to a grand jury earlier than the statute of limitations for the alleged offense expires subsequent week, the sources mentioned.
Comey’s lawyer didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Halligan’s obvious plan to hunt fees towards Comey follows a transparent directive from Trump, who over the weekend immediately referred to as for prosecutions towards Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James.
“Nothing is being carried out. What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and Leticia???” Trump wrote in a social media put up on Saturday night, immediately addressing Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi. “We will’t delay any longer, it’s killing our popularity and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 occasions!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
Lindsey Halligan, particular assistant to the president, speaks with a reporter outdoors of the White Home, Aug. 20, 2025.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP, FILE
In keeping with sources, Halligan’s deputy — a prosecutor who was briefly assigned to steer the workplace only a day earlier than Trump appointed Halligan to the high-profile place — has additionally expressed reservations about bringing the politically charged case.
Halligan has been noticed at DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C., not less than twice this week for conferences which, partly, centered across the Comey matter, sources mentioned.
America Legal professional’s workplace within the Jap District of Virginia — which prosecutes the majority of the nation’s nationwide safety instances — has been thrown into tumult amid Trump’s marketing campaign to push for prosecutions of his political adversaries.
Erik Siebert, Trump’s earlier nominee to the place, resigned from the office after sources mentioned he refused to deliver fees towards New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James over unfounded allegations of mortgage fraud.
Trump later claimed he “fired” Siebert and quickly installed Halligan into the place, as he continued to make unprecedented requires the speedy prosecution of his political foes.
“I simply need folks to behave, they need to act, and we need to act quick,” Trump mentioned on Saturday. “They had been ruthless and harsh. I used to be impeached twice. I used to be indicted 5 occasions. It turned out to be a faux deal. And we’ve got to behave quick, in some way, in some way: they’re responsible, they are not responsible. We now have to behave quick. If they are not responsible, that is fantastic. If they’re responsible, or if they need to be charged, they need to be judged. And we’ve got to do it now.”
Trump has lengthy criticized Comey, who briefly served because the director of the FBI throughout Trump’s first time period however was fired over his dealing with of an investigation into alleged Russian interference within the 2016 U.S. election.
The Division of Justice launched an investigation into Comey earlier this 12 months after FBI Director Kash Patel claimed to find “burn luggage” containing delicate paperwork on the FBI headquarters associated to the Russia probe.
In July, CIA Director John Ratcliffe launched a assessment that concluded the 2016 intelligence evaluation over alleged collusion was “carried out by an atypical & corrupt course of beneath the politically charged environments” of Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan.
When requested concerning the probe in July, Trump advised reporters he believes Brennan and Comey are “actually dangerous folks and dishonest folks.”
“I’ll inform you, I believe they’re very dishonest folks. I believe they’re crooked as hell. And, perhaps they need to pay a value for that,” Trump mentioned.
Comey and Brennan have each stood by the integrity of the 2016 intelligence evaluation, arguing its findings on Russia’s interference within the election had been bolstered by bipartisan congressional investigations in addition to former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation on ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 marketing campaign.
