Prosecutors File Third Charge Against Comey to Reset Deadline

The Department of Justice filed a new criminal information against former FBI Director James Comey on Monday. The filing accuses him of transmitting national defense information in violation of federal law. Prosecutors filed the document on October 5 to prevent the ten-year statute of limitations from expiring earlier this month.

Court records indicate the charge alleges Comey shared classified information with a reporter for The New York Times in October 2016. The specific counts include transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information. The case was kept under seal until Comey's legal team requested its unsealing on Monday.

This is the third federal case brought against Comey. Previous charges alleged he lied to Congress about media leaks and threatened President Donald Trump in a social media post. A judge has already dismissed the false statements case. The threats case remains pending in federal court.

Comey responded to the news in an Instagram video posted on Monday. He stated, "They're back again," referring to the Department of Justice. He added, "I'm still innocent." His legal team has already moved to dismiss the new case, arguing the filing is legally improper.

Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey's attorney, issued a statement claiming the document purports to charge him with crimes he did not commit. A Justice Department spokesperson called the move to halt the statute of limitations a widely recognized practice in federal court. The spokesperson also noted that this is an ongoing criminal investigation and said the department would not comment further.

The next step in the proceedings will be the court's review of the motion to dismiss. No specific hearing date has been announced in the initial filings.