# Justice Department charges Comey over media leaks

> The former FBI director faces a third indictment in 13 months, this time for allegedly disclosing classified information to journalists in 2016.
- Title: Justice Department charges Comey over media leaks · TIME
- Summary: The former FBI director faces a third indictment in 13 months, this time for allegedly disclosing classified information to journalists in 2016.
- Keywords: james comey, justice department, classified information, media leaks, fbi, donald trump, indictment, TIME
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/27/james-comey-justice-department-charges-media-leaks
- Author: Miranda Jeyaretnam
- Published: 2026-10-27T09:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: james comey, justice department, classified information, media leaks, fbi, donald trump, indictment, news, world
## Third charge in 13 months
The Justice Department has charged former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly leaking classified national security information to media outlets in October 2016.
## The alleged leak to the Times
Prosecutors say Comey directed FBI staff to speak with the New York Times around October four and five, twenty sixteen, about accuracy concerns related to a Reuters report on Yahoo's surveillance cooperation.
## What the Times article revealed
The Times described how Yahoo adapted its email filtering system to comply with a secret surveillance order to search messages for a foreign state-sponsored terrorist organization's communications signature.
## Comey calls it political persecution
In a video posted Monday, Comey said the investigation was an appalling abuse of the Justice Department. He stated: I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid of these people.

> I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid of these people.
## Previous investigations found nothing
Comey's attorneys argued the alleged leaks were already investigated twice during the first Trump Administration in twenty seventeen and twenty nineteen, with neither resulting in charges.
## Pattern of prosecutions
The Justice Department has pursued investigations against prominent Democrats recently, including a search warrant for Rep. Ilhan Omar's home and an indictment against Virginia Senate Leader Louise Lucas on drug trafficking charges.
## Two earlier Comey indictments
Comey was indicted in September twenty twenty-five for allegedly making false statements to Congress about media leaks, but a judge threw out those charges in November.
## Trial set for February twenty twenty-seven
The seashells case is scheduled to go to trial in North Carolina in February twenty twenty-seven. Comey said he did not intend the photograph as a threat and understood the numbers as a political message.
## Key takeaway

The Justice Department has charged former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly leaking classified national security information to media outlets in October 2016, marking his third indictment in 13 months.