DOJ and Comey’s lawyers to face off in court today over latest attempt to charge him

October 30, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News

Former FBI Director James Comey will be back in a federal courtroom on Friday, as his legal team prepares to argue in favor of dismissing the Justice Department's latest attempt to bring criminal charges against the Trump foe for allegedly leaking classified information.

Prosecutors are seeking to charge Comey for a third time, alleging he violated the Espionage Act by transmitting national defense information to someone not legally allowed to receive it in connection with a 2016 New York Times article.

Comey has not been formally charged by criminal complaint or indicted by a federal grand jury in the Espionage Act case. Instead, in an uncommon maneuver, federal prosecutors filed a criminal information earlier this month, which does not require approval by a grand jury or a finding by a magistrate judge that there is probable cause a crime was committed. The Justice Department said it took that step to preserve the government's case before a 10-year statute of limitations runs out.

Comey's legal team said in a statement after the filings were unsealed Monday that Comey "steadfastly maintains his innocence."

In court filings that were made public earlier this…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/