# AP: “Ex-FBI Director James Comey indicted on charges of lying to Congress and obstruction” **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 26, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402 "2025-09-26T00:34:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/101 "2025-09-29T18:42:58Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > No one deserves the selective prosecution that the current administration is doing, but Comey has a ton of responsibility for the mess we’re in. At the time, no one thought Trump could win, and I guess he didn’t think he was going to change the outcome. (not literally “no one”) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/102 "2025-09-29T18:47:46Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Anyway, Comey’s oopsie very likely swung the election (in my opinion, I guess) – he never should have promised to reveal anything about his investigation, but having done so, should have made sure there was something to reveal. You must have missed this part of my explanation for that: > [@Aspenglow](#): > > At the time that the Weiner emails were discovered, FBI loyalists to Rudy Giuliani and by extension, Trump, planned to reveal the fact of these to both Congress and the public if Comey did not. There was no way to keep it secret. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/103 "2025-09-29T18:50:48Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I feel sorry for Ted Cruz’s dog. Yes! My wife and I shopped around for a place to take care of our dogs yesterday. Three places. No. WAY. We are now looking into a private dog sitter when we are away. We meet her in 11 days. We take care of the ones we love. It’s our job. Easy or hard. But we volunteered for this. Because of this they give it back 10 fold. Many don’t understand this. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/104 "2025-09-29T18:51:39Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > I’m 100 % in the “never gets to trial” camp. I agree in the spirit, but I think Comey might _want_ this to go to trial. Call their bluff and air out the “evidence” in open Court. Comey can win a dismissal, but then has to deal with potentially years of appeals and getting off on a “technicality”. Win at trial on the merits, no appeal, the evidence is all out in the open, and this is over in months. I think it’s aggressive, but if it were me, there’s really no downside. I can’t imagine being guilty of lying to Congress is a big deal. All Congress does in these hearings is lie to the witness and try and trap the witness into a soundbite. There’s no universe where this Judge gives jailtime. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/105 "2025-09-29T18:51:54Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Every time I hear Democrats fawning over the ‘Clinton era’ as some epoch of integrity and near perfection in governance I have to wonder what fantasy land they are living in. Trying to recall ever having heard a Dem describe any “Clinton era” in terms similar to what you suggest. We obviously move in quite different circles. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/106 "2025-09-29T18:52:37Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I think it’s aggressive, but if it were me, there’s really no downside. Agreed, and he’s got the right lawyer to do it. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/107 "2025-09-29T18:53:31Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > There was no way to keep it secret. He was a terrible manager, then, too. Other FBI heads managed to keep a lid on their politics-related investigations. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/108 "2025-09-29T18:56:07Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Other FBI heads managed to keep a lid on their politics-related investigations. Have you done a lot of research into the MAGA FBI that arose during Trump’s run for the presidency? I have. Rudy Giuliani was hugely influential at that time. Things were changing fast within the DOJ/FBI, with previously unimaginable partisanship and loyalty to Trump taking hold. What may have been possible for other FBI heads – remember, Robert Mueller was FBI Director for 12 years, staying for an additional 2 years beyond his term at Obama’s request – may not have been possible for Comey. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/109 "2025-09-29T18:57:52Z")
I haven’t done the deep dive you have, and thanks for that info. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/110 "2025-09-29T18:58:58Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > At the time, it was legal, not against policy, and a previous Sec of State, Colin Powell, advised Hillary how to set it up. While this is certainly Clinton’s argument, PolitiFact disagrees: > **[Not 'allowed': Clinton's email talk misses the mark](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/may/31/hillary-clinton/fact-checking-hillary-clintons-claim-her-email-pra/)** > > Hillary Clinton is sticking to her defense that her use of a private email server while secretary of state was "allowed, > _First of all, the State Department’s policy as of 2005 (Clinton joined in 2009) is that [all day-to-day operations](https://oig.state.gov/system/files/esp-16-03.pdf#page=30) are to be conducted on the official State Department information channel. Clinton never once used this State Department email system._ > > _And if an employee needs to use a personal email for conducting official business, he or she has an ["obligation](https://oig.state.gov/system/files/esp-16-03.pdf#page=40)" to consult with the chief information officer and the assistant secretary for diplomatic security. However, Clinton did neither._ > > _These two offices told the inspector general that they “did not — and would not — approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business, because of the restrictions in the (Foreign Affairs Manual) and the security risks in doing so.”_ It should be pointed out that James Comey testified that the FBI did not recommend charges because: > _He defended the FBI’s recommendation against bringing charges because it “… would have been unfair and virtually unprecedented …”_ In other words, it was a tacitly accepted practice even if it didn’t meet security, reporting, or record-keeping requirements. However, I’ll also note that essentially since private email became a thing, government contractors have been regularly warned against using private email like Yahoo or Gmail for conveying any FOUO/CUI or other restricted (nonclassified) information, and that there would be penalties for doing so even if requested by government or military employees. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/111 "2025-09-29T19:05:32Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I haven’t done the deep dive you have, and thanks for that info. Just to be clear, I do think Comey had some responsibility for Clinton’s defeat. But it wasn’t due to partisanship. He made a bad mistake after being put in an impossible position, it came back to bite him hard and it bit the rest of the country hard, too. I just think a lot of other things were a lot more responsible, such as Russian interference, Cambridge Analytica and American oligarchs seizing a golden opportunity that has paid dividends like no one could foresee. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/112 "2025-09-29T19:18:36Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Have you done a lot of research into the MAGA FBI that arose during Trump’s run for the presidency? I have. Rudy Giuliani was hugely influential at that time. Things were changing fast within the DOJ/FBI, with previously unimaginable partisanship and loyalty to Trump taking hold. What may have been possible for other FBI heads – remember, Robert Mueller was FBI Director for 12 years, staying for an additional 2 years beyond his term at Obama’s request – may not have been possible for Comey. Just to clarify, do you mean in the run up to the 2016 or 2020 election? If the former, how did that (loyalty to Trump within the FBI) happen while Obama was still POTUS? If the latter, Comey was long gone by 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/113 "2025-09-29T19:23:38Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Just to clarify, do you mean in the run up to the 2016 or 2020 election? If the former, how did that (loyalty to Trump within the FBI) happen while Obama was still POTUS? It was during Obama’s second term, particularly during Trump’s run for the White House. There was a lot of hate for Obama within certain factions at the FBI, and it was being inflamed by Giuliani especially in New York, where he still had a lot of juice. A lot of the writings I read during the time detailing this rogue FBI faction under Obama have disappeared, so I’m not finding anything to cite. Anyone surprised? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/114 "2025-09-29T19:27:50Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Anyone surprised? Surprised? No. Disappointed yes, and not just with the agents in question. It would be just one more example of Democrats playing under Marquis of Queensberry rules while Republicans play no holds barred street fight rules. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/115 "2025-09-29T19:29:52Z")
Yes, but remember, this was in 2015. No one really understood at the time how deep was the corruption and unholy cooperation among Republicans, American oligarchs and Russia then. 20/20 hindsight. ETA: And now, let’s not derail this thread further with this off-topic discussion. I’ll speak as a poster rather than a moderator because I have participated at length in this hijack, but we really do need to get back on the topic of Comey’s current indictment. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/116 "2025-09-29T19:35:11Z")
What’s the timeline on things going forward? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/117 "2025-09-29T19:42:01Z")
Comey’s arraignment is scheduled for October 9th. I guess we have a bit of a wait. Not surprising. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/118 "2025-09-29T19:47:14Z")
The unusual scenario where the _Gov’t_ needs to find a lawyer to represent the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/119 "2025-09-29T20:23:42Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Win at trial on the merits, no appeal, the evidence is all out in the open, and this is over in months I want him to push for a trial, just so we can see Trump’s Toadies spend years finding excuses to delay their own trial, because they know their evidence is crap, and they’ll lose if the case ever moves forward. ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402/120 "2025-09-29T21:01:19Z")
There’s a lawyer, pundit and legal podcaster, Ken White—aka Popehat—whom I hold in high regard. His latest podcast gives a good overview and analysis of the Comey matter (there’s a summary at the link). This is a subscription-based podcast, but many episodes are partially free, and the Comey discussion is one of those, so no subscription required! > **[Stop Making Us Defend James Comey](https://www.serioustrouble.show/p/stop-making-us-defend-james-comey)** > > Lindsay Halligan goes 2-for-3 before the grand jury; the Supreme Court considers whether it must consider the special uniqueness of the Fed; Cava produces something other than a sad desk lunch. There is also a transcript available there, but it’s not clear to me if it is available for non-subscribers to read. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ap-ex-fbi-director-james-comey-indicted-on-charges-of-lying-to-congress-and-obstruction/1023402.md?page=7)