:James Comey

Comey was born in Yonkers, New York, to parents Joan Marie and J. Brien Comey.{{Cite news |first=Miranda |last=Green |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/20/politics/comey-father-trump/index.html |title=Comey's father: Trump was 'scared to death' of FBI director |date=May 20, 2017 |work=CNN |access-date=November 9, 2019 }} His grandfather, William J. Comey, was an officer and later commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department.{{cite news|last=Bultman|first=Matt|title=Reported FBI Nominee Comey Is Grandson of Former YPD Commissioner|newspaper=Yonkers Daily Voice|url=https://dailyvoice.com/new-york/yonkers/police-fire/reported-fbi-nominee-comey-is-grandson-of-former-ypd-commissioner/581043/ |date=June 4, 2013 |access-date=May 15, 2017}} The family moved to Allendale, New Jersey, in the early 1970s.{{cite news|last=Boburg|first=Shawn|title=FBI nominee Comey was held captive as a Bergen teen |newspaper=The Record|url=https://eu.northjersey.com/story/news/2017/05/09/archive-fbi-nominee-comey-held-captive-bergen-teen/315138001/ |date=May 30, 2013|access-date=May 15, 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515080219/http://archive.northjersey.com/news/fbi-nominee-comey-was-held-captive-as-a-bergen-teen-1.589446?page=all|archive-date=May 15, 2017 }}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/03/us/james-comey-fast-facts/ |title=James Comey Fast Facts |publisher=CNN |date=May 3, 2017 |access-date=May 9, 2017}} His father worked in corporate real estate and his mother was a computer consultant and homemaker.{{cite news |first=Alexandra |last=Wolfe |title=Meet Martha's Prosecutor |quote=James Comey grew up in a middle-class family in Yonkers and Bergen County, N.J. His father worked in corporate real estate; his mother was a homemaker and computer consultant. He attended the College of William & Mary and got his law degree at the University of Chicago. |newspaper=The New York Observer |date=June 16, 2003 |url=https://observer.com/2003/06/meet-marthas-prosecutor/ |access-date=July 11, 2015 }} Comey is of Irish heritage.{{cite news |first=Michael S. |last=Schmidt |title=F.B.I. Director Speaks Out on Race and Police Bias |newspaper=The New York Times |date =February 12, 2015| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/us/politics/fbi-director-comey-speaks-frankly-about-police-view-of-blacks.html |access-date = July 11, 2015| author-link =Michael S. Schmidt }} He attended Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale.{{cite news |last=Weiser |first=Benjamin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/02/nyregion/man-in-the-news-reputation-for-tenacity-james-brien-comey.html |title=Man in the News; Reputation for Tenacity; James Brien Comey |work=The New York Times |date=December 2, 2011 |access-date=August 21, 2011 |quote=EDUCATION: Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, N.J.; B.S., College of William and Mary; J.D., University of Chicago Law School. }} In 1977, he and his brother were victims of a home invasion by a criminal called "The Ramsey Rapist".{{cite news |access-date=November 10, 2019 |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/04/the_james_comey_story_jersey_strong.html |title=James Comey talks Trump rumors, terrifying 'Ramsey Rapist' encounter, N.J. roots in new book |first=Jacqueline |last=Cutler |date=April 16, 2018|website=NJ.com}} Comey graduated with honors from the College of William and Mary in 1982, majoring in chemistry and religion. In his senior thesis Comey analyzed the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and the televangelist Jerry Falwell, emphasizing their common belief in public action.{{cite news |url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/n_9353/ |title=Mr. Comey Goes To Washington |work=New York |date=October 10, 2003 |access-date=May 21, 2007 |first=Chris |last=Smith}} He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985.

After law school, Comey was a law clerk for then-United States district judge John M. Walker Jr. in Manhattan. Then, he was an associate for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in their New York office. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, where he worked from 1987 to 1993. While there, he was Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and helped prosecute the Gambino crime family.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/james-comey-at-fbi-a-man-who-can-say-no/2013/05/30/6488b8fa-c943-11e2-9245-773c0123c027_story.html |first=Garrett M. |last=Graff |title= James Comey at FBI, a man who can say no |newspaper=The Washington Post |date= May 30, 2013 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

From 1996 to 2001, Comey was Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney in charge of the Richmond Division of the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In 1996, Comey acted as deputy special counsel to the Senate Whitewater Committee.{{cite magazine |date=March 31, 2016 |url=https://time.com/4276988/jim-comey-hillary-clinton/ |title=Inside the FBI Investigation of Hillary Clinton's E-Mail |first=Massimo |last=Calabresi |magazine=Time |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} He also was the lead prosecutor in the case concerning the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/01/opinion/a-worthy-new-york-prosecutor.html |title=A worthy New York prosecutor [Op-Ed] |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 1, 2001 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} While in Richmond, Comey was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law.

File:James Comey US Attorney.jpg

Comey was the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, from January 2002 to the time of his confirmation as Deputy Attorney General on December 11, 2003.{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/comey-bio.html |title=Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey |work=The White House |access-date=May 18, 2007 |via=archives.gov }} Among his first tasks was to take over the investigation into President Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of Marc Rich, which Comey concluded involved no illegality. In November 2002, he led the prosecution of three men involved in one of the largest identity fraud cases in American history. The fraud had lasted two years and resulted in thousands of people across the country collectively losing over $3 million.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2002/11/cops-bust-massive-id-theft-ring/ |first=Michelle |last=Delio |magazine=Wired |date=November 25, 2002 |title=Cops Bust Massive ID Theft Ring |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} He also led the indictment of Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas for bank fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud. Rigas was convicted of the charges in 2004 and in 2005, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Adelphia Corporation was forced to file for bankruptcy after it acknowledged that it took $3.3 billion in false loans. It was "one of the most elaborate and extensive corporate frauds in United States history".{{cite magazine|last1=Cassidy|first1=John|title=The Greed Cycle|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/09/23/the-greed-cycle |access-date=June 9, 2017|magazine=The New Yorker|date=September 23, 2002|pages=64}}{{cite news|last1=Stern|first1=Christopher|title=Members of Rigas Family Indicted|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2002/09/24/members-of-rigas-family-indicted/7fe776a8-4e4c-4e8c-bb4d-f57ae9534b48/|access-date=June 8, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 24, 2002}}{{cite news|last1=Searcey|first1=Dionne|last2=Yuan|first2=Li|title=Adelphia's John Rigas Gets 15 Years|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB111928656657864197|access-date=June 8, 2017|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=June 21, 2005}}{{cite news |first1=David |last1=Lieberman |date=September 23, 2002 |title=Former Adelphia execs indicted |work=USA Today }}

In February 2003, Comey was the lead prosecutor of Martha Stewart, who was indicted on the charges of securities fraud, obstruction of justice, and lying to an FBI agent. She sold 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems, thereby avoiding a loss of $45,673. The next day, the Food and Drug Administration refused to accept the company's application for Erbitux.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2003/02/06/news/companies/martha/|title=Feds tighten noose on Martha|date=February 6, 2003|work=CNN Money|access-date=February 20, 2019}} In March 2003, he led the indictment of ImClone CEO Samuel Waksal, who pleaded guilty for avoiding paying $1.2 million in sales taxes on $15 million worth of contemporary paintings. The works were by Mark Rothko, Richard Serra, Roy Lichtenstein, and Willem de Kooning.{{cite news|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2003-03-03-waksal_x.htm |title=Waksal pleads guilty to avoiding sales taxes on art|last=Farrell|first=Greg|date=March 4, 2003|work=USA Today|access-date=February 20, 2019}} In April 2003, he led the indictment of Frank Quattrone, who allegedly urged subordinates in 2000 to destroy evidence sought by investigators looking into his investment banking practices at Credit Suisse First Boston.{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2003/04/23/news/quattrone/|title=Quattrone charged|date=April 23, 2003|work=CNN Money|access-date=February 20, 2019}} In June 2003, he revealed "Operation Project Meltdown", which started in January 1999 by the El Dorado Task Force, that found a money laundering scheme avoiding suspicious activity reports (SARS) from banks in which very large amounts of both gold and diamonds from West 47th Street jewelers in New York City were shipped to Colombia as profits of a Colombian narcotics cartel. This resulted in the arrests of eleven jewelry dealers and others including Luis Kuichis, owner of Alberto Jewelry, Jaime Ross, owner of Ross Refiners of 47 West 47th Street, and a father and son Roman and Eduard Nektakov, respectively, who are from Uzbekistan and immigrated to New York City in 1972 settling in Forest Hills and establishing Roman Jewelers in 1974 on West 47th Street.{{cite news |last1=Weiser |first1=Benjamin |last2=Hernandez |first2=Daisy |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/06/nyregion/drug-money-laundered-into-gold-us-says.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |title=Drug Money Laundered Into Gold, U.S. Says |work=New York Times |date=June 6, 2003 |access-date=February 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210217220950/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/06/nyregion/drug-money-laundered-into-gold-us-says.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Козловский |first=Владимир (Kozlovsky, Vladimir) |url=https://centrasia.org/newsA.php?st=1085247480 |title=Гаечный ключ из золота |trans-title=Gold Spanner |language=ru |work=«Русская реклама» (www.rronline.ws) (Russian Advertising) |date=June 16, 2003 |access-date=February 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210218005501/https://centrasia.org/newsA.php?st=1085247480 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://credo.press/41747/ |title=В Нью-Йорке убит вице-президент Конгресса бухарских евреев в США |trans-title=Vice-President of the Congress of Bukharian Jews in the USA killed in New York |language=ru |work=Credo.Press website |date=May 22, 2004 |access-date=February 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210218013805/https://credo.press/41747/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Козловский |first=Владимир (Kozlovsky, Vladimir) |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/russian/news/newsid_3737000/3737869.stm |title=В Нью-Йорке убит лидер общины бухарских евреев |trans-title=Leader of the community of Bukharian Jews killed in New York |language=ru |work=BBC |date=May 22, 2004 |access-date=February 17, 2021}}{{cite news |last=Козловский |first=Владимир (Kozlovsky, Vladimir) |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-42090707 |title=Заказчик убийства на "бриллиантовой улице" Манхэттена признан виновным |trans-title=Manhattan's Diamond Street Murder Owner Found Guilty |language=ru |work=BBC |date=November 23, 2017 |access-date=February 17, 2021}}{{cite news |last=Grant |first=Alexander |url=https://www.vnovomsvete.com/incident/2018/05/10/bukharskiy-evrey-eduard-nektalov-byl-ubit-13-let-nazad-izza-delovykh-raznoglasiy.html |title=Бухарский еврей Эдуард Некталов был убит 13 лет назад из-за "деловых разногласий": Приговор организатору убийства манхэттенского ювелира |trans-title=Bukharian Jew Eduard Nektalov was killed 13 years ago due to "business disagreements": The verdict of the organizer of the murder of a Manhattan jeweler |language=ru |work=В Новом Свете (vnovomsvete.com) (V Novom Svete) |location=New York City |date=May 10, 2018 |access-date=February 17, 2021}}{{efn|In July 2003, Eduard or Edward Nektakov (b. 1957 or 1958), a prominent Bukhara Jewish leader who was vice president of the Congress of Bukharian Jews in the United States which first convened in Queens in December 1999, purchased a luxury $1.6 million condo on the 79th floor of Trump World Tower, one floor below Kellyanne Conway's condo, but was killed on May 20, 2004, which allegedly was ordered by his father Roman Nektakov (b. 1931 or 1932) and arranged by Hector Rivera who was prosecuted by Preet Bharara and sentenced to life in prison on April 11, 2018.}} In November 2003, he led the prosecutions in "Operation Wooden Nickel", which resulted in complaints and indictments against 47 people involved in foreign exchange trading scams.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fbi-arrests-40-in-foreign-exchange-trading-scams-1.396712 |title=FBI arrests 40 in foreign exchange trading 'scams' |date=November 13, 2003 |work=CBC News |access-date=February 20, 2019}}

Comey appointed Patrick Fitzgerald to be the special counsel to head the grand jury investigation into the Plame affair after Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself.{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2003/12/30/Ashcroft-recused-from-leak-investigation/48811072812243/|title=Ashcroft recused from leak investigation|date=December 30, 2019|work=UPI|access-date=August 29, 2019}}

In early January 2006, The New York Times, as part of its investigation into the Bush administration's warrantless domestic surveillance program, reported on an incident in which Comey and other Justice Department officials refused to certify the legality of central aspects of the National Security Agency (NSA) program. The DOJ had issued a finding that the domestic wiretapping under the Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP) was unconstitutional if such were done without a court warrant. Under White House procedures, DOJ approval was required in order for the program to be renewed. In early March 2004, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III and Comey had prepared their resignations if the White House overruled the DOJ's finding that the program was unconstitutional.{{cite news |date=May 16, 2007 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051500864.html |title=Gonzales Hospital Episode Detailed |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 28, 2007 |first1=Dan |last1=Eggen |first2=Paul |last2=Kane }}

On March 10, 2004, while the issue was still pending, United States Attorney General John Ashcroft was recovering in the intensive care unit at the George Washington University Hospital after gall bladder surgery. His wife was with him. He had recused himself from any Justice Department decisions while recovering, designating Comey as acting attorney general. In his hospital room he was visited by White House officials Alberto Gonzales and Andrew Card, who pressured him to sign papers reauthorizing the domestic surveillance program. Alarmed by the situation, his wife called for Comey to join them, and he summoned FBI Director Mueller and two other DOJ officials, Jack Goldsmith and Patrick Philbin.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-mueller-comey-ashcroft-domestic-surveillance-20170517-story.html |title=Comey, Mueller and the showdown at John Ashcroft's hospital bed |last=Shalby |first=Colleen |date=May 17, 2017 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 29, 2019 }} None of the four would agree to reauthorize the program, and Ashcroft refused to take any action while he was recused.{{cite book |last=Mayer |first=Jane |author-link=Jane Mayer |title=The Dark Side |location=New York |publisher=Anchor Books |pages=[https://archive.org/details/darksideinsidest0000maye_p6s9/page/289 289–90] |date=May 2009 |isbn=9780307456298 |title-link=The Dark Side (book) }}{{cite news |last1=Lichtblau |first1=Eric |last2=Risen |first2=James |date=January 1, 2006 |work=The New York Times |title=Justice Deputy Resisted Parts of Spy Program |access-date=June 6, 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/politics/justice-deputy-resisted-parts-of-spy-program.html }} In Goldsmith's 2007 memoir, he said Comey had come to the hospital to support Ashcroft in withstanding pressure from the White House. Comey later confirmed these events took place in testimony to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on May 16, 2007.{{cite web |url=https://gulcfac.typepad.com/georgetown_university_law/files/comey.transcript.pdf |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Comey Senate Judiciary Committee Transcript, May 16, 2007. Congressional Quarterly, Inc. }}{{cite news |first1=Michael |last1=Isikoff |author-link=Michael Isikoff |first2=Evan |last2=Thomas |title=Bush's Monica Problem: Gonzales, the president's lawyer and Texas buddy, is twisting slowly in the wind, facing a vote of no confidence from the Senate |date=June 4, 2007 |work=Newsweek |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881810/site/newsweek/page/0/ |access-date=May 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070601063742/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881810/site/newsweek/page/0/ |archive-date=June 1, 2007 }}{{cite news |author=(Editorial) |title=Mr. Comey's Tale: A standoff at a hospital bedside speaks volumes about Attorney General Gonzales. |date=May 16, 2006 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051501945.html |pages=A14 |access-date=May 25, 2007 }}{{cite news |first1=Dan |last1=Eggen |first2=Amy |last2=Goldstein |title=No-Confidence Vote Sought on Gonzales |date=May 18, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051501043.html |pages=A03 |access-date=May 25, 2007 }}{{cite news | last=Congressional Quarterly | title=Senate Hearing on U.S. Attorney Firings – Transcript: Senate Judiciary Hearing (Transcript, Part 1 of 5) | date=May 15, 2007 | newspaper=The Washington Post | url=https://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051501032.html | access-date=May 25, 2007 | archive-date=August 8, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808182021/http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051501032.html | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | first=Eric | last=Lichtblau | title=Bush Defends Spy Program and Denies Misleading Public | date=January 2, 2006 | work =The New York Times | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/02/politics/02spy.html | access-date = May 25, 2007 }} Mueller's notes on the March 10, 2004, incident, which were released to a House Judiciary committee, confirm that he "Saw (the) AG, John Ashcroft in the room (who was) feeble, barely articulate, clearly stressed."{{cite news | last = Eggen | first = Dan | newspaper = The Washington Post | title = FBI Director's Notes Contradict Gonzales's Version of Ashcroft Visit | date = August 17, 2007 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/16/AR2007081601358.html | access-date = June 3, 2010 }}

Comey and Mueller cancelled their plans to resign after meeting on March 12, 2004, directly with President Bush, who directed that requisite changes be made to the surveillance program.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/15/AR2007051500864.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Gonzales Hospital Episode Detailed | first1=Dan | last1=Eggen | first2=Paul | last2=Kane | date=May 16, 2007 | access-date=May 5, 2010}}

When Comey was Deputy Attorney General in 2005, he endorsed a memorandum that approved the use of 13 so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" that included waterboarding{{cite news |last=Perez |first=Evan |date=July 7, 2013 |title=Nominee for FBI Top Post Likely to Face Tough Questions |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324867904578591404201463958 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=February 12, 2017 |url-access=subscription |quote=Mr. Comey, during his tenure as deputy attorney general, endorsed a legal memo that authorized the use of waterboarding, which induces the sensation of drowning, on detainees held by the CIA. }} and sleep deprivation for up to {{convert|180|h|day|frac=2|abbr=off}}, which would be used by the CIA when interrogating suspects.{{cite news | url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/us/politics/07lawyers.html | last = Shane | first = Scott |author-link=Scott Shane |author2=David Johnston | title = Lawyers Agreed on the Legality of Brutal Tactic | newspaper = The New York Times | access-date = June 7, 2009 | date = June 7, 2009}}{{cite news |last=Serrano |first=Richard A. |date=July 9, 2013 |title=FBI nominee Comey signed memo allowing waterboarding |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2013-jul-09-la-na-comey-nomination-20130710-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 12, 2017 }} Comey objected to a second memorandum, drafted by Daniel Levin and signed by Steven G. Bradbury, which stated that these techniques could be used in combination. Comey was one of the few members of the Bush administration who had tried to prevent or limit the use of torture.{{cite news |last=Resnick |first=Brian |date=May 30, 2013 |title=James Comey, Obama's Pick to Lead the FBI, Stood Up Against the Bush Legal Opinion on 'Enhanced Interrogations' |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/05/james-comey-obamas-pick-to-lead-the-fbi-stood-up-against-the-bush-legal-opinion-on-enhanced-interrogations/454686/ |newspaper=National Journal |access-date=February 12, 2017 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/washington/04interrogate.html |title=Secret U.S. Endorsement of Severe Interrogations |last1=Shane |first1=Scott |author-link1=Scott Shane |last2=Johnston |first2=David |last3=Risen |first3=James |author-link3=James Risen |date=October 4, 2007 |website=The New York Times |access-date=December 26, 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Markon |first1=Jerry |last2=Horwitz |first2=Sari |date=May 30, 2013 |title=Civil liberties groups criticize Comey, but colleagues praise him |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/civil-liberties-groups-criticize-comey-but-colleagues-praise-him/2013/05/30/ef389d12-c966-11e2-9245-773c0123c027_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 12, 2017 }}

During his 2013 confirmation hearing, Comey stated that in his personal opinion, waterboarding was torture,{{cite news |last=Yager |first=Jordy |date=July 10, 2013 |title=Comey: Waterboarding is torture, illegal |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/309819-comey-waterboarding-is-torture-illegal |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=February 12, 2017 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211174536/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/309819-comey-waterboarding-is-torture-illegal |url-status=dead }} and the United Nations Convention against Torture was "very vague" and difficult to interpret as banning the practice.{{cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Michael S. |author-link=Michael S. Schmidt |date=July 9, 2013 |title=F.B.I. Nominee Explains How View Has Changed on Interrogation Tactic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/10/us/surveillance-expected-to-be-a-focus-at-hearing-for-fbi-nominee.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 12, 2017 }} Even though he believed the practice was legal at the time, he strongly disagreed with the techniques and as a matter of policy, he opposed implementing them.{{cite news |last=Charles |first=Deborah |date=July 9, 2013 |title=Nominee for FBI director says waterboarding is torture |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fbi-comey-idUSBRE9680YB20130709 |work=Reuters |access-date=February 12, 2017 }} His objections were ultimately overruled by the National Security Council.{{cite news |last=Serrano |first=Richard A. |date=July 9, 2013 |title=Senators question FBI nominee Comey over enhanced interrogation |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2013-jul-09-la-pn-fbi-comey-enhanced-interrogation-20130709-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 12, 2017 }}

Comey left the Department of Justice in August 2005.{{cite web|title=An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006|url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opr/legacy/2008/09/30/us-att-firings-rpt092308.pdf|publisher=justice.gov|access-date=June 9, 2017|date=September 2008}} In August 2005, it was announced that Comey would enter the private sector, becoming the general counsel and senior vice president for Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Department of Defense's largest contractor.{{cite news |access-date=November 10, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700584.html |title=Lockheed Puts Faith in Tough Lawyer |first1=Carrie |last1=Johnson |first2=Griff |last2=Witte |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 8, 2005 }} Comey's tenure took effect on October 1, 2005,{{cite web|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2005/august/LockheedMartinNamesJamesBComeyGener.html |first=Tom |last=Greer |title=Lockheed Martin Names James B. Comey General Counsel; Succeeds Frank H. Menaker, Who Will Retire |publisher=lockheedmartin.com |date=August 4, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704063119/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2005/august/LockheedMartinNamesJamesBComeyGener.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 4, 2013 }} serving in that capacity until June 2, 2010, when he announced he would leave Lockheed Martin to join the senior management committee at Bridgewater Associates, a Connecticut-based investment management firm.{{cite web |url=http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/06/02/comey-leaving-lockheed-for-hedge-fund/ | title =Comey Leaving Lockheed for Hedge Fund |first=David |last=Johnston |publisher=mainjustice.com |date=June 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531160325/http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/06/02/comey-leaving-lockheed-for-hedge-fund/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-date=May 31, 2013 }} Comey received a three million dollar payout from Bridgewater. His net worth was estimated at 14 million dollars in 2013.{{cite news |access-date=November 10, 2019 |url=https://www.newsweek.com/james-comey-net-worth-salary-fbi-director-trump-fired-pay-606406 |first=Tim |last=Marcin |title=James Comey likely has a nest egg to fall back on after losing his job as FBI director |date=May 9, 2017 |website=Newsweek }}

On February 1, 2013, after leaving Bridgewater, he was appointed by Columbia University Law School as a senior research scholar and Hertog fellow on national security law.{{cite web |access-date=November 10, 2019 |url=https://www.law.columbia.edu/media_inquiries/news_events/2013/january2013/comey-announcement |title=Former Deputy Attorney General Joins Columbia Law School as Hertog Fellow in National Security Law: James B. Comey Has Served as U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and as General Counsel of Bridgewater Associates and the Lockheed Martin Corporation. |author=Columbia University School of Law |publisher=law.columbia.edu |date=January 30, 2013 |author-link=Columbia University School of Law |archive-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110001244/https://www.law.columbia.edu/media_inquiries/news_events/2013/january2013/comey-announcement |url-status=dead }} He was also appointed to the board of directors of the London-based financial institution HSBC Holdings,{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-30/hsbc-names-tax-police-and-anti-terror-chiefs-to-controls-team |access-date=November 10, 2019 | title =HSBC Hires Tax, Anti-Terror Chiefs for Controls Panel | author =Howard Mustoe | publisher =Bloomberg L.P. | date =January 30, 2013}} to improve the company's compliance program after its $1.9 billion settlement with the Justice Department for failing to comply with basic due diligence requirements for money laundering regarding Mexican drug cartels and terrorism financing.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hsbc-probe/hsbc-to-pay-1-9-billion-u-s-fine-in-money-laundering-case-idUSBRE8BA05M20121211 |title=HSBC to pay $1.9 billion U.S. fine in money-laundering case |first1=Aruna |last1=Viswanatha |first2=Brett |last2=Wolf |work=Reuters |date=December 11, 2012 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18880269 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=HSBC money laundering report: Key findings |work=BBC News |date=December 11, 2012}} Since 2012, he has also served on the Defense Legal Policy Board.{{cite news |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704075410/http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/06/president-obama-to-name-new-fbi-director-.html |archive-date=July 4, 2013 |url=http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/06/president-obama-to-name-new-fbi-director-.html |title=President Obama to name Jim Comey as FBI director |first=Lesley |last=Clark |work=McClatchy News Service |date=June 20, 2013 }}

{{2006 dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy small}}

In May 2007, Comey testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Judiciary subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law on the U.S. attorney dismissal controversy.{{cite web |title=Serial No. 110-10 (House Hearing) - Continuing Investigation into the U.S. Attorneys Controversy |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CHRG-110hhrg35115/CHRG-110hhrg35115 |website=GivInfo.gov |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=29 June 2023 |date=3 May 2007}} His testimony contradicted that of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who had said the firings had been due to poor performance on the part of some of the dismissed prosecutors.{{cite web |title=Serial No. 110-58 (House Hearing) - United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CHRG-110hhrg35245/CHRG-110hhrg35245 |website=GovInfo.gov |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=29 June 2023 |date=10 May 2007}} Comey stressed that the Justice Department had to be perceived as nonpartisan and nonpolitical to function.

{{blockquote|The Department of Justice, in my view, is run by political appointees of the President. The U.S. attorneys are political appointees of the President. But once they take those jobs and run this institution, it's very important in my view for that institution to be another in American life, that—because my people had to stand up before juries of all stripes, talk to sheriffs of all stripes, judges of all stripes. They had to be seen as the good guys, and not as either this administration or that administration.{{cite web |first=James B. |last=Comey |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050701299.html |title=Testimony Transcript |work=Hearing of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. House Committee on the Judiciary. |date=May 3, 2007 |access-date=May 18, 2007 |via=The Washington Post }}{{r|govinfo:1|page=17}}}}

Politico reported in May 2009, White House officials pushed for Comey's inclusion on the short list of names to replace Associate Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/05/comey-pushed-for-high-court-022488 |first1=Carol E. |last1=Lee |first2=Mike |last2=Allen |title=Comey pushed for High Court |work=Politico |date=May 13, 2009 |access-date=May 17, 2009 }} Politico later reported liberal activists were upset about the possibility of Comey's name being included. John Brittain of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law stated, "[Comey] came in with the Bushies. What makes you think he'd be just an inch or two more to the center than [John] Roberts? I'd be greatly disappointed."{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/05/some-on-left-souring-on-obama-022604 |first=Josh |last=Gerstein |title=Some on left souring on Obama |work=Politico |date=May 17, 2009 |access-date=May 17, 2009 }}

In 2013, Comey was a signatory to an amicus curiae brief submitted to the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage during the Hollingsworth v. Perry case.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-pro-freedom-republicans-are-coming-131-sign-gay-marriage-brief |first=John |last=Avlon |title=The Pro-Freedom Republicans Are Coming: 131 Sign Gay-Marriage Brief |publisher=thedailybeast.com |date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

File:Comey-FBI-nomination.jpg, and outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller at Comey's nomination to become FBI Director, June 21, 2013]]

File:Denis McDonough, Susan E. Rice, James Comey, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Lisa Monaco, Loretta Lynch.jpg following the San Bernardino attack, December 3, 2015]]

File:Obama receives an update on Orlando shooting.jpg on the Orlando nightclub shooting, June 12, 2016.]]

The May 2013 reports became official the following month when President Barack Obama revealed that he would nominate Comey to be the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, replacing outgoing director Robert Mueller.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-fbi/obama-expected-to-pick-james-comey-as-next-fbi-chief-source-idUSBRE94S1FM20130529 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Obama expected to pick James Comey as next FBI chief: source|date=May 29, 2013|work=Reuters|author=Steve Holland}}{{cite news |last=Pickler |first=Nedra |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/06/21/obamas-fbi-pick-james-comey-challenged-wiretapping-by-bush-white-house/ |title=Obama's FBI pick: James Comey, challenged wiretapping by Bush White House |work=San Jose Mercury News |agency=AP |date=June 21, 2013 |access-date=June 21, 2013 }} Comey was reportedly chosen over another finalist, Lisa Monaco, who had overseen national security issues at the Justice Department during the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/30/us/politics/obama-to-pick-james-b-comey-to-lead-fbi.html |first=Michael S. |last=Schmidt |title=Former Bush Official Said to Be Obama Pick to Lead F.B.I. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 30, 2013 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/8ddafa3a0cdd4c1da279a549ab780845 |first=Nedra |last=Pickler |title=AP Sources: Obama Preparing To Name Comey To FBI |date=May 30, 2013 |work=Associated Press |access-date=May 30, 2013 }}

On July 29, 2013, the Senate confirmed Comey to a full ten-year term as FBI director. He was confirmed by a vote of 93–1. Two senators voted present.{{cite web|url=http://democrats.senate.gov/2013/07/29/now-voting-on-confirmation-of-comey-nomination-fbi|title=Now voting on confirmation of Comey nomination (FBI)|publisher=Democrats.senate.gov|date=July 29, 2013|access-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715005244/http://democrats.senate.gov/2013/07/29/now-voting-on-confirmation-of-comey-nomination-fbi/ |archive-date=July 15, 2014 }} He was sworn in as FBI director on September 4, 2013.{{cite press release |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/james-b.-comey-sworn-in-as-fbi-director |title=FBI – James B. Comey Sworn in as FBI Director |publisher=Fbi.gov |date=September 4, 2013 |access-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715003956/http://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/james-b.-comey-sworn-in-as-fbi-director |archive-date=July 15, 2014 }} Comey was dismissed by President Donald Trump on May 9, 2017.

File:FBI Director Attends Civil Rights and Law Enforcement Conference (27252080745).jpg

In February 2015, Comey delivered a speech at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., regarding the relationship between police and the African-American community.{{cite news |url=https://thehoya.com/rare-move-fbi-head-addresses-race-relations/ |title=In Rare Move, FBI Head Addresses Race Relations |date=February 13, 2015 |work=The Hoya |last=Simio |first=Molly |access-date=April 20, 2015 |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927210759/https://thehoya.com/rare-move-fbi-head-addresses-race-relations/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches/hard-truths-law-enforcement-and-race |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Hard Truths: Law Enforcement and Race|last=Comey|first=James B.|date=February 12, 2015|location=Washington, D.C.}} He said that, "At many points in American history, law enforcement enforced the status quo – a status quo that was often brutally unfair to disfavored groups", mentioning as an example his own Irish ancestors, who he said had, in the early 20th century, often been regarded by law enforcement as drunks and criminals. He added, "The Irish had some tough times, but little compares to the experience on our soil of black Americans", going on to highlight current societal issues such as lack of opportunities for employment and education which can lead young black men to crime. Comey stated:

Police officers on patrol in our nation's cities often work in environments where a hugely disproportionate percentage of street crime is committed by young men of color. Something happens to people of good will working in that environment. After years of police work, officers often can't help be influenced by the cynicism they feel. A mental shortcut becomes almost irresistible.

In October 2015, Comey gave a speech in which he raised concerns that body worn video results in less effective policing; this opinion contradicted the President's public position.{{cite web |last=Asher-Schapiro |first=Avi |title=The FBI Director Says Cops Are 'Under Siege' From Viral Videos |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-fbi-director-says-cops-are-under-siege-from-viral-videos/|access-date=September 2, 2016|work=Vice News|date=October 27, 2015}} Days later, President Obama met with Comey in the Oval Office to address the issue.{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Lichtblau |first2=Eric |title=James Comey's Rebuke of Hillary Clinton Fits a 3-Decade Pattern |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/us/james-comey-fbi-hillary-clinton-email-investigation.html |access-date=July 6, 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=July 6, 2016 |page=A1}}

In an October 23 speech at the University of Chicago Law School, Comey said:

I remember being asked why we were doing so much prosecuting in black neighborhoods and locking up so many black men. After all, Richmond was surrounded by areas with largely white populations. Surely there were drug dealers in the suburbs. My answer was simple: We are there in those neighborhoods because that's where people are dying. These are the guys we lock up because they are the predators choking off the life of a community. We did this work because we believed that all lives matter, especially the most vulnerable.{{cite web |first=James |last=Comey |title=Law Enforcement and the Communities We Serve: Bending the Lines Toward Safety and Justice |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches/law-enforcement-and-the-communities-we-serve-bending-the-lines-toward-safety-and-justice |access-date=November 10, 2019 |publisher=Fbi.gov |date=October 23, 2015 }}

In April 2015, Comey spoke at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, arguing in favor of more Holocaust education.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-scariest-lesson-of-the-holocaust/2015/04/16/ffa8e23c-e468-11e4-905f-cc896d379a32_story.html |date=April 16, 2015 |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Why I require FBI agents to visit the Holocaust Museum |first=James B. |last=Comey |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} After The Washington Post printed a version of his speech, Anne Applebaum wrote that his reference to "the murderers and accomplices of Germany, and Poland, and Hungary" was inaccurately saying that Poles were as responsible for the Holocaust as Germans.{{cite news |title=Poland fury at Holocaust comment by FBI's James Comey |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32376463|access-date=April 20, 2015 |work=BBC News |issue=April 19, 2015 }} His speech was also criticized by Polish authorities, and Stephen D. Mull, United States ambassador to Poland, was called to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-us-holocaust/poland-summons-u-s-ambassador-over-fbi-heads-holocaust-remarks-idUSKBN0NA0G420150419 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |first=Wiktor |last=Szary |work=Reuters |title=Poland summons U.S. ambassador over FBI head's Holocaust remarks |date=April 19, 2015 }} Applebaum wrote that Comey, "in a speech that was reprinted in The Post arguing for more Holocaust education, demonstrated just how badly he needs it himself".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/04/19/fbi-director-got-it-wrong-on-the-holocaust/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=FBI director got it wrong on the Holocaust |first=Anne |last=Applebaum |date=April 19, 2015 |newspaper=The Washington Post }}

Ambassador Mull issued an apology for Comey's remarks.{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3827721/poland-fbi-holocaust-james-comey/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=U.S. Ambassador Apologizes to Poles Over FBI Director's Holocaust Remarks |date=April 20, 2015 |magazine=Time |first=Sabrina |last=Toppa }} When asked about his remarks, Comey said, "I regret linking Germany and Poland ... The Polish state bears no responsibility for the horrors imposed by the Nazis. I wish I had not used any other country names because my point was a universal one about human nature."{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-us-holocaust/fbi-chief-tells-polands-u-s-envoy-he-regrets-holocaust-remarks-idUSKBN0NE0JT20150423 |title=FBI chief tells Poland's U.S. envoy he regrets Holocaust remarks |first1=Agnieszka |last1=Barteczko |first2=Wiktor |last2=Szary |date=April 23, 2015 |work=Reuters |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

In June 2015, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that it had been the target of a data breach targeting the records of as many as four million people.{{cite news |date=June 5, 2015 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-suspects-hackers-in-china-behind-government-data-breach-sources-say-1433451888 |title=U.S. Suspects Hackers in China Breached About four (4) Million People's Records, Officials Say |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=June 5, 2015 |last1=Barrett |first1=Devlin |first2=Danny |last2=Yadron |first3=Damian |last3=Paletta }} Later, Comey put the number at 18 million.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/22/politics/opm-hack-18-milliion/index.html |date=June 24, 2015 |title=U.S. government hack could actually affect 18 million |access-date=November 10, 2019 |first1=Evan |last1=Perez |first2=Shimon |last2=Prokupecz |website=CNN }} The Washington Post has reported that the attack originated in China, citing unnamed government officials.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/04/412086068/massive-data-breach-puts-4-million-federal-employees-records-at-risk |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Massive Data Breach Puts 4 Million Federal Employees' Records At Risk|work=NPR|date=June 4, 2015|author=Sanders, Sam}} Comey said: "It is a very big deal from a national security perspective and from a counterintelligence perspective. It's a treasure trove of information about everybody who has worked for, tried to work for, or works for the United States government."{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/07/09/hack-of-security-clearance-system-affected-21-5-million-people-federal-authorities-say/ |title=Hacks of OPM databases compromised 22.1 million people, federal authorities say |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 9, 2015 |first=Ellen |last=Nakashima |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

File:Report of Investigation of Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey's Disclosure of Sensitive Investigative Information and Handling of Certain Memoranda.pdf

{{Main|Hillary Clinton email controversy}}

On July 10, 2015, the FBI opened a criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State.{{cite news|last1=Matt Apuzzo|last2=Michael S. Schmidt|last3=Adam Goldman|last4=Eric Lichtblau|title=Comey Tried to Shield the F.B.I. From Politics. Then He Shaped an Election.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/us/politics/james-comey-election.html|access-date=May 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=April 23, 2017|page=A1|author1-link=Matt Apuzzo|author2-link=Michael S. Schmidt|author3-link=Adam Goldman|author4-link=Eric Lichtblau}} On June 29, 2016, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who was Comey's boss, and Bill Clinton met aboard her plane on the tarmac of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, leading to calls for her recusal. Lynch then announced that she would "fully" accept the recommendation of the FBI regarding the probe. On July 2, FBI agents completed their investigation by interviewing Hillary Clinton at FBI headquarters, following which Comey and his associates decided there was no basis for criminal indictments in the case.

On July 5, 2016, Comey announced the FBI's recommendation that the United States Department of Justice file no criminal charges relating to the Hillary Clinton email controversy.{{cite news |last1=Landler |first1=Mark |last2=Lichtblau |first2=Eric |title=Stern Rebuke, But No Charges For Clinton: F.B.I. Calls Email Use 'Extremely Careless' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/us/politics/hillary-clinton-fbi-email-comey.html |access-date=July 6, 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=July 6, 2016 |page=A1}} During a 15-minute press conference in the J. Edgar Hoover Building, Comey called Secretary Clinton's and her top aides' behavior "extremely careless", but concluded that "no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case". It was believed to be the first time the FBI disclosed its prosecutorial recommendation to the Department of Justice publicly. On July 7, 2016, Comey was questioned by a Republican-led House committee during a hearing regarding the FBI's recommendation.{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Kevin|title=Comey faces grilling by House panel over Clinton emails|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/07/james-comey-house-committee-clinton-emails-chaffetz/86793176/|access-date=July 7, 2016|date=July 7, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Wilber |first=Del Quentin |title=Comey says FBI did not 'give a hoot about politics' in Clinton email probe |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-comey-testimony-clinton-email-20160707-snap-story.html |access-date=July 7, 2016 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 7, 2016}}

File:Comey Letter.jpg

On October 26, 2016, two weeks before the presidential election, Comey learned that FBI agents investigating an unrelated case involving former congressman Anthony Weiner had discovered emails on Weiner's computer between his wife, Huma Abedin, and Clinton. Claiming he believed it would take months to review Weiner's emails, Comey decided he had to inform Congress that the investigation was being reopened due to new information. Justice Department lawyers warned him that giving out public information about an investigation was inconsistent with department policy, but he considered the policy to be "guidance" rather than an ironclad rule.{{cite news|last1=Horwitz|first1=Sari|title=Justice officials warned FBI that Comey's decision to update Congress was not consistent with department policy|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-officials-warned-fbi-that-comeys-decision-to-update-congress-was-not-consistent-with-department-policy/2016/10/29/cb179254-9de7-11e6-b3c9-f662adaa0048_story.html|access-date=October 30, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 29, 2016}} He decided that to not reveal the new information would be misleading to Congress and the public.{{cite news|last1=Horwitz |first1=Sari |title=Read the letter Comey sent to FBI employees explaining his controversial decision on the Clinton email investigation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/10/28/read-the-letter-comey-sent-to-fbi-employees-explaining-his-controversial-decision-on-the-clinton-email-investigation/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 28, 2016 |quote=Of course, we don't ordinarily tell Congress about ongoing investigations, but here I feel an obligation to do so given that I testified repeatedly in recent months that our investigation was completed. I also think it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record. At the same time, however, given that we don't know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails, I don't want to create a misleading impression. In trying to strike that balance, in a brief letter and in the middle of an election season, there is significant risk of being misunderstood, but I wanted you to hear directly from me about it.}} On October 28, Comey sent a letter to members of Congress advising them that the FBI was reviewing more emails. Members of Congress revealed the information to the public within minutes.{{cite news|last1=Goldman|first1=Adam|last2=Rappeport|first2=Alan|title=Emails in Anthony Weiner Inquiry Jolt Hillary Clinton's Campaign|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/us/politics/fbi-hillary-clinton-email.html|access-date=May 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=October 29, 2016|page=A1}} Republican and Democratic lawmakers, as well as the Clinton and Trump campaigns, called on Comey to provide additional details.

The Clinton campaign, former officials, and political commentators criticized his decision to announce the reopened investigation, which was described as an October surprise, a "serious mistake", and an "error in judgment".{{cite news|last1=Silberman|first1=Laurence H.|title=A 'Notorious' 2016 for Ginsburg and Comey|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-notorious-2016-for-ginsburg-and-comey-1487978570|access-date=May 11, 2017|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=February 24, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Holder|first1=Eric|title=Eric Holder: James Comey is a good man, but he made a serious mistake|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eric-holder-james-comey-is-a-good-man-but-he-made-a-serious-mistake/2016/10/30/08e7208e-9f07-11e6-8832-23a007c77bb4_story.html|access-date=May 11, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 30, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Gorelick|first1=Jamie|last2=Thompson|first2=Larry|title=James Comey is damaging our democracy|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/james-comey-is-damaging-our-democracy/2016/10/29/894d0f5e-9e49-11e6-a0ed-ab0774c1eaa5_story.html|access-date=May 11, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 29, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Wisner |first=Matthew |title=Former A.G. Michael Mukasey: Comey Stepped Way Outside His Job |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/former-a-g-michael-mukasey-comey-stepped-way-outside-his-job |access-date=May 11, 2017 |work=Fox Business |date=July 6, 2016 }}{{cite news|last1=Griffiths|first1=Brent|title=Former Bush attorney general: Comey made 'error in judgment'|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/alberto-gonzalez-clinton-email-fbi-230535 |access-date=May 11, 2017|work=POLITICO|date=October 31, 2016}} Law professor Richard Painter filed complaints with the United States Office of Special Counsel and the United States Office of Government Ethics over Comey's letter to Congress.{{cite news |last=Painter |first=Richard W. |title=On Clinton Emails, Did the F.B.I. Director Abuse His Power? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/opinion/on-clinton-emails-did-the-fbi-director-abuse-his-power.html |work=The New York Times |date=October 31, 2016 |page=A21 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

The investigators received additional resources so they could complete their review of the new emails before Election Day, and on November 6, 2016, Comey wrote in a second letter to Congress that "Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July".{{cite news|last1=Matt Apuzzo|last2=Michael S. Schmidt|last3=Adam Goldman|title=F.B.I. Says Review Clears Clinton In Email Inquiry – Director Tells Congress Many Messages in New Trove Were Duplicates |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/us/politics/hilary-clinton-male-voters-donald-trump.html |access-date=May 11, 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=November 7, 2016 |page=A1 |author1-link=Matt Apuzzo|author2-link=Michael S. Schmidt|author3-link=Adam Goldman}}

Comey was broadly criticized for his actions from both the right and the left.{{cite news |last=Rubin |first=Jennifer |title=James Comey should be fired |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-fire-james-comey-clinton-emails-20161107-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=November 7, 2016 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}{{cite news |last=Constantine |first=Tim |title=FBI chief James Comey should resign |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/7/fbi-director-james-comey-should-resign/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |work=The Washington Times |date=November 7, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Eichenwald |first=Kurt |title=FBI Director James Comey Is Unfit for Public Service |url=https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-director-james-comey-unfit-public-service-517815 |access-date=November 8, 2016 |work=Newsweek |date=November 7, 2016 }}{{cite news |last=Przbyla |first=Heidi |title=Prosecutors, Justice officials sign letter criticizing Comey decision |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/10/30/prosecutors-justice-officials-sign-letter-criticizing-comey-decision/93037670/ |access-date=November 21, 2016 |work=USA Today |date=October 31, 2016 }} According to the Clinton campaign, the letters effectively stopped the campaign's momentum by hurting Clinton's chances with voters who were receptive to Trump's claims of a "rigged system".{{cite news |title=Hillary Clinton Blames F.B.I. Director for Election Loss |last=Chozick |first=Amy |date=November 12, 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/us/politics/hillary-clinton-james-comey.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 13, 2016 }} Polling authority Nate Silver commented on Twitter that Comey had a "large, measurable impact on the race".{{cite web|url=https://www.mediaite.com/online/nate-silver-clinton-wouldve-almost-certainly-become-president-if-not-for-comeys-letter/ |title=Nate Silver: Clinton Would've 'Almost Certainly' Become President If Not for Comey's Letter |last=Meyer |first=Ken |date=December 10, 2016 |website=Mediaite|access-date=January 19, 2017|quote="[Silver wrote:] 'Comey had a large, measurable impact on the race' [and] 'Late-deciding voters broke strongly against Clinton in swing states, enough to cost her MI/WI/PA.'"}}{{cite web |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-did-comey-hurt-clintons-chances|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106215633/http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-did-comey-hurt-clintons-chances/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2016|title=How Much Did Comey Hurt Clinton's Chances? |last=Silver |first=Nate |author-link=Nate Silver |date=November 6, 2016|website=FiveThirtyEight|access-date=January 19, 2017|quote="... while Clinton's chances were slightly declining already after she came off her post-debate peak, the rate of decline began to accelerate a couple of days after Comey, once we began to receive some post-Comey polls ... And while it isn't proof of anything, the pattern is at least consistent with a 'shock' caused by a burst of negative news for a candidate, as opposed to a more gradual decline."}} Other analysts, such as Democratic strategist David Axelrod, said that Comey's public actions were just one of several cumulative factors that cost Clinton the election.{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/03/david-axelrod-reacts-hillary-clinton-james-comey-237924 |title=Axelrod: Comey 'didn't tell Hillary Clinton not to campaign in Wisconsin' |work=Politico |access-date=May 12, 2017 |date=May 3, 2017 |first=Aidan |last=Quigley }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/hillary-clinton-aides-loss-blame-231215 |title=Clinton aides blame loss on everything but themselves |work=Politico |access-date=May 12, 2017 |first=Annie |last=Karni |date=November 10, 2016 }} On May 2, 2017, Clinton told CNN's Christiane Amanpour: "I was on the way to winning until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28 and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me and got scared off."{{cite news |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/hillary-clinton-writing-book-failed-campaign-painful-article-1.3130401 |title=Hillary Clinton says she would have won the election if it was held in October; writing campaign book is 'painful' |work=New York Daily News |date=May 3, 2017 |first1=Jason |last1=Silverstein |first2=Adam |last2=Edelman |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} On May 3, 2017, Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that it "makes me mildly nauseous to think that we might have had some impact on the election", but that "honestly, it wouldn't change the decision" to release the information.{{cite news |last1=LoBianco |first1=Tom |title=Comey hearing: FBI chief defends 'right choice' on handling Clinton email probe|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/03/politics/james-comey-senate-hearing/ |access-date=May 3, 2017 |publisher=CNN |first2=Manu |last2=Raju |date=May 3, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Adam Goldman |title=Comey Stands by F.B.I.'s Disclosure That Jolted Race - Would Do It All Again – He's 'Mildly Nauseous' at Idea He Swayed Vote, Senators Are Told |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/us/politics/james-comey-fbi-senate-hearing.html |access-date=May 11, 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=May 4, 2017 |page=A1|author1-link=Adam Goldman }}

On January 12, 2017, the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General announced a formal investigation into whether the FBI followed proper procedures in its investigation of Clinton or whether "improper considerations" were made by FBI personnel.{{cite news|last1=Adam Goldman|last2=Eric Lichtblau|last3=Matt Apuzzo|title=Comey's Handling Of Clinton Emails Will Face Inquiry – Justice Department Acts on Concern That Moves by F.B.I. Chief Jolted Race|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/james-comey-fbi-inspector-general-hillary-clinton.html|access-date=May 12, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=January 13, 2017|page=A1|author1-link=Adam Goldman|author2-link=Eric Lichtblau|author3-link=Matt Apuzzo}}

On July 27, 2017, the House Judiciary Committee decided to request documents related to Comey, including the FBI investigation of Clinton, Comey's conduct during the 2016 election, and his release of his memo to the press.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/07/26/house-judiciary-committee-votes-to-probe-comey-and-clintons-2016-campaign|title=House Judiciary Committee votes to probe Comey and Clinton's 2016 campaign|last=Weigel|first=David|date=July 26, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=July 28, 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/344051-house-judiciary-committee-votes-to-request-documents-on-comey-clinton |title=House Judiciary Committee votes to request documents on Comey, Clinton|last=Greenwood|first=Max|date=July 26, 2017|work=The Hill|access-date=July 28, 2017}} The committee's Republicans also wrote a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking him to appoint a second special prosecutor to investigate these issues.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/27/house-republicans-call-for-a-second-special-counsel--to-investigate-clinton-comey-and-lynch.html|title=House Republicans call for a second special counsel – to investigate Clinton, Comey and Lynch|last=Rosenfeld|first=Everett|date=July 27, 2017|work=CNBC|access-date=July 28, 2017}}

In September 2017, two Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), alleged that Comey planned to exonerate Clinton in her email scandal long before the agency had completed its investigation.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/top-senate-republicans-accuse-comey-of-planning-to-clear-clinton-before-interviewing-her/2017/09/01/7518088e-8f22-11e7-84c0-02cc069f2c37_story.html |title=Top Senate Republicans accuse Comey of planning to clear Clinton before interviewing her |first=Karoun |last=Demirjian |date=September 1, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} The story was confirmed by the FBI in October, which released a Comey memo dated May 2. Comey had interviewed Clinton as part of his investigation on July 2. Former FBI official Ron Hosko reacted saying, "You tend to reach final conclusions as the investigation is logically ended. Not months before." Donald Trump called it "disgraceful". In contrast, former Department of Justice spokesman Matthew Miller wrote on Twitter, "The decision is never 'made' until the end, even when there's a 99% chance it is only going to go one way."{{cite magazine|last=Kutner|first=Max|date=December 15, 2017|title=Comey's Early Clinton Draft Said She Should Face 'No Charges'|url=https://www.newsweek.com/james-comey-drafted-statement-hillary-clinton-emails-750283|magazine=Newsweek|access-date=February 10, 2018}}

Comey's original draft of the exoneration stated that Clinton had committed "gross negligence", which is a crime. However, the language was later changed to "extreme carelessness".{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/358982-early-comey-memo-accused-clinton-of-gross-negligence-on-emails |title=Early Comey memo accused Clinton of gross negligence on emails |last=Solomon |first=John F. |author-link=John F. Solomon |date=November 6, 2017 |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=February 2, 2018 }} In December, it was revealed that the change had been made by Peter Strzok, an FBI official who would later join Mueller's probe and be dismissed after exchanging private messages with an FBI lawyer that could be seen as favoring Clinton politically.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/peter-strzok-james-comey/index.html|title=FBI agent dismissed from Mueller probe changed Comey's description of Clinton to 'extremely careless'|last1=Jarrett|first1=Laura|last2=Perez|first2=Evan|date=December 4, 2017|publisher=CNN|access-date=February 2, 2018}}

On June 14, 2018, Inspector General Michael Horowitz issued his report criticizing Comey's handling of the Clinton email probe as "insubordinate".{{cite report |url=https://www.justice.gov/file/1071991/download |access-date=November 10, 2019 |date=June 2018 |title=A Review of Various Actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice in Advance of the 2016 Election |work=United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General |via=justice.gov |archive-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527035739/https://www.justice.gov/file/1071991/download |url-status=dead }} Specifically, he stated that Comey made "a serious error in judgment", "usurped the authority of the Attorney General", "chose to deviate" from established procedures, and engaged "in his own subjective, ad hoc decision making" by publicly announcing that he wouldn't recommend any charges in the Clinton email investigation in July 2016 and later by sending a letter to Congress about reopening the case.{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Strohm |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-14/comey-broke-from-fbi-procedures-in-clinton-probe-watchdog-finds |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Comey Was 'Insubordinate' in Clinton Probe, But Free of Bias |date=June 14, 2018|work=Bloomberg News }} The report found no evidence of political bias, although other high-ranking FBI officials showed "willingness to take official action" to negatively impact the Trump campaign.{{cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |title=Inspector general blasts Comey and also says others at FBI showed 'willingness to take official action' to hurt Trump |date=June 14, 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-receiving-briefing-ahead-of-public-release-of-report-expected-to-criticize-fbi/2018/06/14/c08c6a5a-6fdf-11e8-bf86-a2351b5ece99_story.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

{{See also|Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections}}

In late August 2016, the FBI acquired some reports from what would later be known as the Steele dossier. In late July, the FBI opened an investigation into the Trump campaign. Comey asked President Obama for permission to write an op-ed, which would warn the public that the Russians were interfering in the election. The president denied the request. CIA Director John O. Brennan then gave an unusual private briefing on the Russians to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid; Reid then publicly referred to the briefing. Comey, however, refused to confirm—even in classified congressional briefings—that the Trump Campaign was under investigation. In early October, meetings were held in the White House Situation Room; National Security Advisor Susan Rice argued that the information should be released, while Comey argued that disclosure was no longer needed.

In January 2017, Comey first met Trump when he briefed the president-elect on the Steele dossier.{{cite news|author-link=Michael S. Schmidt |first=Michael S. |last=Schmidt |title=In a Private Dinner, Trump Demanded Loyalty. Comey Demurred. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/us/politics/trump-comey-firing.html|access-date=May 12, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=May 12, 2017|page=A1}} On January 27, 2017, Trump and Comey dined alone at the White House. According to Trump, Comey requested the dinner so as to ask to keep his job and, when asked, told Trump that he was not under investigation. Trump has stated that he did not ask Comey to pledge his loyalty. However, according to Comey's associates, Trump requested the dinner, asked Comey to pledge his loyalty, twice, to which Comey replied, twice, that he would always be honest, until Trump asked him if he would promise "honest loyalty", which Comey did.

On February 14, the day after President Trump fired Michael T. Flynn, Comey met with the president during a terrorism threat briefing in the Oval Office.{{cite news|author-link=Michael S. Schmidt |first=Michael S. |last=Schmidt |title=Trump Appealed To Comey To Halt Inquiry Into Aide – Ex-F.B.I. Chief Noted Request in Memo: 'I Hope You Can Let This Go' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/politics/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html |access-date=May 18, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=May 17, 2017|page=A1}} At the end of the meeting Trump asked the other security chiefs to leave, then told Comey to consider imprisoning reporters over leaks and that "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go." Comey, as is usual, immediately documented the meeting in a memo and shared it with FBI officials. In his congressional testimony, Comey clarified that he took Trump's comment to be "an order" to drop the Flynn investigation, but "that he did not consider this an order to drop the Russia investigation as a whole".{{cite web|last=Shugerman|first=Emily|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/News/world/americas/us-politics/comey-testimony-trump-russia-election-meddling-no-pressure-fbi-director-testifies-latest-a7779406.html|title=James Comey: Trump did not ask me to drop investigation into Russian election meddling|work=The Independent|date=June 8, 2017|access-date=July 26, 2017}}

On March 4, Comey asked the Justice Department for permission, which was not given, to publicly refute Trump's claim that his phones had been wiretapped by then-President Obama.{{cite news|author-link=Michael S. Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last1=Schmidt |first2=Michael D. |last2=Shear |title=F.B.I. Chief Pushes For Justice Dept. To Refute Trump – White House Rallies Behind Unproven Claim of Obama Tapping Phones |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/05/us/politics/trump-seeks-inquiry-into-allegations-that-obama-tapped-his-phones.html |access-date=May 11, 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=March 5, 2017 |page=A1}}

On March 20, in testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, Comey confirmed that the FBI has been investigating possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia and whether any crimes were committed.{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Collinson|title=Comey confirms FBI investigating Russia, Trump ties |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/20/politics/comey-hearing-russia-wiretapping/index.html |work=CNN |date=March 21, 2017 |access-date=April 12, 2017}} During the hearing, the White House Twitter account posted "The NSA and FBI tell Congress that Russia did not influence the electoral process", which Comey, when he was read the tweet by Congressman Jim Himes, directly refuted.{{cite news |last1=Kiely |first1=Eugene |last2=Farley |first2=Robert |title=Spinning the Intel Hearing |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2017/03/spinning-the-intel-hearing/ |access-date=May 11, 2017 |publisher=FactCheck.org |date=March 21, 2017}} Comey refuted the President's Trump Tower wiretapping allegations, testifying "I have no information that supports those tweets, and we have looked carefully inside the FBI."{{cite news|first1=Matt |last1=Apuzzo |author-link=Matt Apuzzo |author-link2=Matthew Rosenberg |first2=Matthew |last2=Rosenberg |first3=Emmarie |last3=Huetteman |title=Comey Confirms Inquiry on Russia and Trump Allies – In Day of Testimony, F.B.I. Director Also Dismisses a Wiretapping Claim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/us/politics/fbi-investigation-trump-russia-comey.html|access-date=May 11, 2017 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 21, 2017 |page=A1}}

U.S. Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT) asked Comey in the hearing: "Mr. Clapper then went on to say that to his knowledge there was no evidence of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians. We did not conclude any evidence in our report and when I say 'our report,' that is the NSA, FBI, and CIA with my office, the director of national intelligence said anything – any reflection of collusion between the members of Trump campaign and the Russians, there was no evidence of that in our report. Was Mr. Clapper wrong when he said that?" Comey responded: "I think he's right about characterizing the report which you all have read."{{cite news|title=Full transcript: FBI Director James Comey testifies on Russian interference in 2016 election.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/20/full-transcript-fbi-director-james-comey-testifies-on-russian-interference-in-2016-election/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 20, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} Press Secretary Sean Spicer and a White House tweet then highlighted this testimony as proof that Clapper was "right" there was no evidence of collusion, causing Clapper to release a statement clarifying he had been referring to the evidence as gathered in January and that more investigation is needed.

On May 3, in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Comey said that Russia is the "greatest threat of any nation on Earth ... One of the biggest lessons learned is that Russia will do this again. Because of 2016 election, they know it worked."{{cite news |first=Clark |last=Mindock |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/russia-james-comey-hearing-putin-greatest-threat-any-nation-earth-a7716016.html |title=FBI Director James Comey says Russia is 'greatest threat of any nation on Earth' |work=The Independent |date=May 4, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} He also said that Russia should pay a price for interfering.{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/russia-is-the-greatest-threat-to-us-james-comey/article18382497.ece |title=Russia is the greatest threat to U.S.: James Comey |work=The Hindu |date=May 4, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

In early May, a few days before he was fired, Comey reportedly asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in funding and personnel for the Russia probe.{{cite news|author-link=Matthew Rosenberg |first1=Matthew |last1=Rosenberg |author-link2=Matt Apuzzo |first2=Matt |last2=Apuzzo |title=F.B.I. Firing Roils Capital As Trump Calls Out Critics – In Last Days as Chief, Comey Sought Aid in Russia Inquiry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/us/politics/comey-russia-investigation-fbi.html |access-date=May 11, 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=May 11, 2017 |page=A1}} On May 11, 2017, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said to the Senate Intelligence Committee that he was unaware of the request and stated, "I believe we have the adequate resources to do it and I know that we have resourced that investigation adequately."{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-resources-idUSKBN1872AW |first1=Patricia |last1=Zengerle |first2=Arshad |last2=Mohammed |title=FBI has sufficient resources for Russia investigation: McCabe |date=May 11, 2017 |work=Reuters |access-date=May 26, 2017}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/11/acting-fbi-director-mccabe-backs-up-trump-on-request-for-resources.html |title=Acting FBI Director McCabe backs up the Trump administration on one key detail |last=Harwood |first=John |date=May 11, 2017 |publisher=CNBC |access-date=May 26, 2017}}

{{Wikinews|Former U.S. FBI Director James Comey testifies about President Trump}}

Comey had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on May 11, but after he was dismissed on May 9, committee chair Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) said that McCabe would appear instead.{{cite web |url=https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/05/10/james-comey-testimony/|title=Will Ex-FBI Director James Comey Speak Before Senate Intelligence Committee?|last=Garcia |first=Arturo |date=May 10, 2017 |work=Snopes |access-date=May 10, 2017}} Comey spoke before the committee on June 8.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqZlgDv-tw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/enqZlgDv-tw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Former FBI director James Comey testifies before Senate – watch live|last=Guardian Wires|date=June 8, 2017|access-date=July 7, 2017|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|last1=Collinson|first1=Stephen|title=James Comey claims his moment at hearing|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/08/politics/james-comey-testimony-donald-trump/index.html |access-date=June 8, 2017|publisher=CNN|date=June 8, 2017}}{{r|govinfo:68}} His prepared opening statements were released by the Intelligence Committee on its website one day before the official hearings.{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=David|last2=Borger|first2=Julian|last3=Siddiqui|first3=Sabrina|title=James Comey reveals concerns about Trump in a devastating account to Congress|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/07/james-comey-trump-congress-statement|access-date=June 8, 2017|work=The Guardian|date=June 8, 2017}}{{cite news|title=Read James Comey's explosive opening statement on Trump and Russia in full |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/comey-testimony-read-in-full-trump-russia-opening-remarks-latest-text-a7778111.html |first=Mythili |last=Sampathkumar |access-date=June 8, 2017|work=The Independent|date=June 7, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Statement for the Record: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|url=https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf|website=intelligence.senate.gov|access-date=June 8, 2017}}

{{See also|Mass surveillance in the United States}}

In his July 2013 FBI confirmation hearing, Comey said that the oversight mechanisms of the U.S. government have sufficient privacy protections.{{cite news |last=Ackerman |first=Spencer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/09/james-comey-fbi-director-senate-hearing |title=James Comey defends US surveillance practices at FBI confirmation hearing |work=The Guardian |date=July 9, 2013 |access-date=July 10, 2013 |author-link=Spencer Ackerman }} In a November 2014 New York Times Magazine article, Yale historian Beverly Gage reported that Comey kept on his desk a copy of the FBI request to wiretap Martin Luther King Jr. "as a reminder of the bureau's capacity to do wrong".{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/magazine/what-an-uncensored-letter-to-mlk-reveals.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 |date=November 11, 2014 |first=Beverly |last=Gage |work=The New York Times |title= What an Uncensored Letter to M.L.K. Reveals }}

In 2016, Comey and his agency were criticized for their request to Apple Inc. to install a "back door" for U.S. surveillance agencies to use. Former NSA and CIA director Michael Hayden stated: "Jim would like a back door available to American law enforcement in all devices globally. And, frankly, I think on balance that actually harms American safety and security, even though it might make Jim's job a bit easier in some specific circumstances."{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/02/21/ex-nsa-chief-backs-apple-iphone-back-doors/80660024 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |first=Susan |last=Page |title=Ex-NSA chief backs Apple on iPhone 'back doors' |date=February 21, 2016 |work=USA TODAY }} Comey, speaking at a cybersecurity conference in 2017, told the audience, "There is no such thing as absolute privacy in America; there is no place outside of judicial reach."{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/08/politics/james-comey-privacy-cybersecurity |first1=Mary Kay |last1=Mallonee |first2=Eugene |last2=Scott |title=Comey: 'There is no such thing as absolute privacy in America' |work=CNN |date=March 9, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

{{Main|Dismissal of James Comey}}

File:White-House-Fires-James-Comey.pdf

President Trump formally dismissed Comey on May 9, 2017, less than 4 years into his 10-year term as Director of the FBI. Comey first learned of his termination from television news reports that flashed on screen while he was delivering a speech to agents at the Los Angeles Field Office.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/05/09/us/politics/ap-us-trump-comey-the-latest.html|title=The Latest: Comey Learned of Ouster as He Spoke at FBI in LA|last=The Associated Press|date=May 9, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 10, 2017|issn=0362-4331}} Sources said he was surprised and caught off guard by the termination. Comey immediately departed for Washington, D.C., and was forced to cancel his scheduled speech that night at an FBI recruitment event.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-comey-los-angeles-20170509-story.html |title=Comey was 'caught flat-footed' and learned of firing from TV while talking to FBI agents in L.A., source says |last1=Winton |first1=Richard |date=May 9, 2017 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 10, 2017 |last2=Queally |first2=James |issn=0458-3035 }} Trump reportedly called Deputy Director Andrew McCabe the next day, demanding to know why Comey had been allowed to fly back to Washington on an FBI jet after he had been fired.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-s-gripes-against-mccabe-included-wife-s-politics-comey-n842161|title=Trump's gripes against McCabe included wife's politics, Comey's ride home|last=Lee|first=Carol E.|date=January 29, 2018|work=NBC News|access-date=March 19, 2018}}

On May 10, Comey sent a letter to FBI staff in which he said, "I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all. I'm not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won't either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply."{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/10/politics/comey-goodbye-letter |title=First on CNN: Comey sends farewell letter to select FBI staff |last=Prokupecz |first=Shimon |date=May 10, 2017 |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 12, 2017}} In the absence of a Senate-confirmed FBI director, McCabe automatically became Acting Director.{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fires-comey-mccabe-takes-over-as-fbis-acting-director |title=Trump fires Comey: McCabe takes over as FBI's acting director|date=May 9, 2017|publisher=Fox News Channel|access-date=May 10, 2017 }}

The White House initially stated the firing was on the recommendation of United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to both of whom Comey reported.{{cite news|first1=Michael D.|last1=Shear|first2=Matt|last2=Apuzzo|author-link2=Matt Apuzzo|title=F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/us/politics/james-comey-fired-fbi.html|access-date=May 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=May 10, 2017|page=A1}} Rosenstein had sent a memorandum to Sessions, forwarded to Trump, in which Rosenstein listed objections to Comey's conduct in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/09/james-comey-fbi-fired-donald-trump|title=Donald Trump fires FBI director Comey over handling of Clinton investigation|last=Smith|first=David|date=May 9, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=May 9, 2017|issn=0261-3077}} It allowed the Trump administration to attribute Comey's firing to Rosenstein's recommendation about the Clinton email controversy. It was later revealed that on May 8, Trump had requested Sessions and Rosenstein to detail in writing a case against Comey.{{Cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/332651-sessions-was-told-to-find-reasons-to-fire-comey-reports |title=Sessions was told to find reasons to fire Comey: reports |last=Fabian |first=Jordan |date=May 9, 2017 |work=TheHill |access-date=May 10, 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/09/justice-department-was-told-to-come-up-with-reasons-to-fire-comey-reports-say.html|title=Justice Department was told to come up with reasons to fire Comey, reports say|last=Pramuk|first=Jacob|date=May 9, 2017|publisher=CNBC|access-date=May 10, 2017}} Rosenstein's memo was forwarded to Trump on May 9 and was then construed as a recommendation to dismiss Comey, which Trump immediately did. In Trump's termination letter to Comey, he attributed the firing to the respective letters from Sessions and Rosenstein.{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |author-link1=Maggie Haberman |last2=Thrush |first2=Glenn |author-link2=Glenn Thrush |last3=Schmidt |first3=Michael S. |author-link3=Michael S. Schmidt |last4=Baker |first4=Peter |author-link4=Peter Baker (author) |title='Enough Was Enough': How Festering Anger at Comey Ended in His Firing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/us/politics/how-trump-decided-to-fire-james-comey.html |access-date=May 12, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=May 11, 2017|page=A1}}{{cite news |date=May 10, 2017 |last=Dawsey |first=Josh |title=The one phrase that doomed Comey |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/10/comey-firing-trump-loyalty-238239 |work=Politico |access-date=May 11, 2017 }} On May 10, Trump told reporters he had fired Comey because Comey "wasn't doing a good job".{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/10/politics/donald-trump-james-comey-firing/ |title=Trump says he fired Comey because he wasn't 'doing a good job' |last=Malloy |first=Allie |date=May 10, 2017 |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 11, 2017}} White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders added that the FBI rank and file had lost faith in Comey and that she had "heard from countless members of the FBI ... grateful and thankful for the president's decision."{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/332998-huckabee-sanders-stands-by-claim-fbi-rank-and-file-lost-faith-in |title=Huckabee Sanders stands by claim FBI 'rank and file' lost faith in Comey |last=Fabian |first=Jordan |date=May 11, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=March 19, 2018 }}

By May 11, however, in a direct contradiction of the earlier statements by the White House, Vice President Mike Pence, and the contents of the dismissal letter itself, President Trump stated to Lester Holt in an NBC News interview that Comey's dismissal was in fact "my decision" and "I was going to fire [Comey] regardless of recommendation [by Jeff Sessions and Rod Rosenstein]."{{cite news |last1=Vitali |first1=Ali |last2=Siemaszko |first2=Corky |title=EXCLUSIVE: President Trump reveals he asked Comey whether he was under investigation |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-reveals-he-asked-comey-whether-he-was-under-investigation-n757821 |access-date=May 12, 2017 |publisher=NBC News |date=May 11, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Shear|first2=Michael D.|title=Trump Shifts Rationale for Firing Comey, Calling Him a 'Showboat' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/us/politics/trump-comey-showboat-fbi.html |access-date=May 12, 2017 |work=The New York Times|date=May 12, 2017 |page=A1}} Trump later said of the dismissal "when I decided to just do it [fire Comey], I said to myself, I said 'You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.'"{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-impeached-james-comey-allan-lichtman-latest-a7735456.html|title=Donald Trump could be impeached over firing of James Comey, says professor who called election|last=Buncombe|first=Andrew|date=May 14, 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=May 14, 2017|issn=0951-9467}} In the same televised interview, Trump labelled Comey "a showboat" and "grandstander".

On May 19, The New York Times published excerpts of an official White House document summarizing Trump's private meeting, the day after the firing, with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, in the Oval Office. Trump told Kislyak and Lavrov that he "just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job". Trump added: "I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off", further adding "I'm not under investigation."{{cite news|title=What Trump Really Told Kislyak After Comey Was Canned |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/trump-intel-slip |work=Vanity Fair |first=Howard |last=Blum |date=November 22, 2017 |access-date=November 25, 2017 }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-nut-job-james-comey-russia-2017-5 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Trump to Russian diplomats: Firing 'nut job' James Comey took 'great pressure' off me |first=Allan |last=Smith |website=Business Insider |date=May 19, 2017}}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-reportedly-told-russians-comey-is-nut-job-said-firing-relieved-pressure |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Trump reportedly told Russians Comey is 'nut job,' said firing relieved 'pressure' |work=Fox News |first=Blake |last=Burman |date=May 19, 2017}}

According to reports, Trump had been openly talking to aides about finding a reason to fire Comey for at least a week before both the dismissal and the request of memoranda from Sessions and Rosenstein the day prior. Trump was angry and frustrated when, in the week prior to his dismissal, Comey revealed in Senate testimony the breadth of the counterintelligence investigation into Russia's effort to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He felt Comey was giving too much attention to the Russia probe and not enough to internal leaks to the press from within the government.{{cite news |last1=Rucker |first1=Philip |last2=Parker |first2=Ashley|last3=Barrett|first3=Devlin|last4=Costa|first4=Robert|title=Inside Trump's anger and impatience – and his sudden decision to fire Comey |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-trumps-anger-and-impatience-prompted-him-to-fire-the-fbi-director/2017/05/10/d9642334-359c-11e7-b373-418f6849a004_story.html |date=May 10, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} Shortly before he was fired, Comey had requested additional money and resources to further expand the probe into Russian interference into the Presidential election. Trump had long questioned Comey's loyalty to him personally and Comey's judgment to act accordingly. Moreover, Trump was angry that Comey would not support his claim that President Barack Obama had his campaign offices wiretapped.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/fbi/332880-trump-mad-comey-would-not-back-wiretap-claims-report |title=Trump angry Comey would not back wiretap claims about Obama: report |first=Mark |last=Hensch |date=May 10, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

On May 16, 2017, it was first reported that Comey had prepared a detailed set of notes following every meeting and telephone call he had with President Trump.{{cite news |first=Pamela |last=Brown |author-link=Pamela Brown (journalist) |title=Comey documented 'everything he could remember' after Trump conversations |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/16/politics/james-comey-trump-memo-documents/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=October 5, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://relayto.com/facts-only/james-comey-memos-jt6ipdrlm1df0 |title=Interactive James Comey Memos |date=2018 |website=RELAYTO/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

On May 12, President Trump tweeted "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!",{{cite web |url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/jun/22/timeline-donald-trumps-talk-about-nonexistent-jame/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |first=Manuela |last=Tobias |date=June 22, 2017 |work=Politifact |title=A timeline of the nonexistent James Comey tapes}} which some political and legal analysts, as well as opposition politicians, interpreted as a threat to Comey.{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/12/politics/donald-trump-james-comey-threat/index.html |date=May 12, 2017 |title=Trump threatens Comey in Twitter outburst |first=Eugene |last=Scott |website=CNN |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} On June 8, when asked by the Senate Intelligence Committee about the existence of tapes, Comey replied "Lordy, I hope there are tapes!" He added that he would have no problem with the public release of any recordings.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/06/08/532102878/i-hope-there-are-tapes-highlights-of-james-comeys-testimony|title='Lordy, I Hope There Are Tapes': Highlights Of James Comey's Testimony|last=Naylor|first=Brian|date=June 8, 2017|work=NPR|access-date=March 19, 2018}}

On June 22, after the House Judiciary committee threatened the White House with a potential subpoena for the alleged tapes, Trump issued a tweet stating "I have no idea{{nbsp}}... whether there are 'tapes' or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings."{{Cite news |date=June 22, 2017 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/22/trump-says-he-has-no-recordings-of-his-comey-talks-239862 |title=Trump says he has no Comey tapes |work=Politico |first1=Nolan D. |last1=McCaskill |first2=Josh |last2=Dawsey |access-date=November 6, 2018 }} Hours later, when asked to clarify the non-denial denial wording of Trump's tweet regarding the tapes, Principal Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated that Trump's tweet was "extremely clear" and that she did "not have anything to add".{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/22/donald-trump-says-he-has-no-tapes-james-comey-conv/ |title=Donald Trump says he has no tapes of James Comey's conversations |work=The Washington Times |first=Dave |last=Boyer |date=June 22, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} Questions raised for clarification on Trump's tweet centered principally on whether Trump ever had knowledge of said tapes having ever existed and whether he is simply no longer privy to the knowledge of whether said tapes still exist; whether Trump currently has or ever had knowledge of a person or persons other than Trump having made said tapes or recordings; and whether Trump currently has or ever had knowledge of a person or persons other than Trump currently having or previously having had in their possession said tapes or recordings. U.S. representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), stated that Trump's tweet "raises as many questions as it answers", and that in any event, the tweet did not comply with the June 23 deadline, and that Schiff would move forward with subpoenas for the tapes, adding that "[r]egardless of whether the President intends his tweets to be an official reply to the House Intelligence Committee, the White House must respond in writing to our committee as to whether any tapes or recordings exist."{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Edelman |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/trump-denies-comey-tapes-won-deny-recordings-exist-article-1.3269174 |title=Trump denies having Comey tapes — but won't deny recordings exist |newspaper=New York Daily News |access-date=January 29, 2019}}

On October 4, 2019, allegations of a possible White House recording system resurfaced after House Democrats, who have controlled US House of Representative since the 2018 election, issued a subpoena for White House documents, including any possible audio tapes,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/us/politics/impeachment-white-house-subpoena.html|title=We're Not Fooling Around:" House Democrats Vow to Subpoena|first1=Nicholas|last1=Fandos|first2=Peter|last2=Baker|work=The New York Times|date=October 2, 2019|access-date=October 6, 2019}} following the Trump–Ukraine scandal, setting the stage for a legal battle which could go as far as the US Supreme Court.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-04/u-s-diplomat-complained-its-crazy-to-withhold-security-assistance-for-help-with-a-political-campaign|title=Democrats subpoena White House as impeachment battle escalates sharply|first1=Jennifer|last1=Haberkorn|first2=Chris|last2=Megerian|first3=Tracy|last3=Wilkerson|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 4, 2019|access-date=October 6, 2019}}

File:Ex-FBI-Director-James-Comey-s-memos.pdf

Comey's termination was immediately controversial. It was compared to the Saturday Night massacre, President Richard Nixon's termination of special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who had been investigating the Watergate scandal,{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/cnns-jeffrey-toobin-goes-off-on-trump-for-firing-comey-what-kind-of-country-is-this |work=The Daily Beast |title=CNN's Jeffrey Toobin Goes Off on Trump for Firing Comey: 'What Kind of Country Is This?' |last=Wilstein |first=Matt |date=May 9, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}{{cite news|url=http://thesilicontimes.com/everyone-is-comparing-donald-trump-to-richard-nixon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730011516/http://thesilicontimes.com/everyone-is-comparing-donald-trump-to-richard-nixon/ |url-status=dead|archive-date=July 30, 2017|title=Everyone is comparing Donald Trump to Richard Nixon |work=The Silicon Times |date=May 9, 2017 |last=Abbruzzese |first=Jason |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} and to the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates in January 2017. Many members of Congress expressed concern over the firing and argued that it would put the integrity of the investigation into jeopardy.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/05/09/comey-firing-reaction-from-members-of-congress-on-fbi-directors-dismissal/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Comey firing: Reaction from members of Congress on FBI director's dismissal |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 9, 2017 }} Critics accused Trump of obstruction of justice.{{cite news|last1=Charlie Savage|title=Critics Say Trump Broke the Law in Firing Comey. Proving It Isn't So Easy. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/us/politics/obstruction-of-justice-fbi.html |access-date=May 12, 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=May 12, 2017 |page=A17 |author1-link=Charlie Savage (author) }}

In the dismissal letter, Trump stated that Comey had told him "on three separate occasions that I am not under investigation".{{cite news |url=https://fox59.com/2017/05/09/fbi-director-james-comey-fired-by-president-trump-for-not-doing-a-good-job/ |title=FBI Director James Comey fired by President Trump |agency=Associated Press |date=May 9, 2017 |publisher=Fox59 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110151136/https://fox59.com/2017/05/09/fbi-director-james-comey-fired-by-president-trump-for-not-doing-a-good-job/ |url-status=dead }} Fact checkers reported that while they had no way of knowing what Comey may have told Trump privately, no such assertion was on the public record at that time of Comey directly stating that Trump was not personally under investigation.{{cite news|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/may/10/did-james-comey-tell-donald-trump-three-times-he-i/ |title=Did James Comey tell Donald Trump three times that he isn't under FBI investigation? |last=Carroll |first=Lauren |date=May 10, 2017 |work=Politifact |access-date=May 11, 2017 }} However, in later Congressional testimony, Comey confirmed that on three occasions he volunteered to Trump that the latter was not personally under FBI investigation.{{cite web |last=Comey |first=James |url=https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf|title=Statement for the Record Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|work=United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|pages=2, 4, 6|date=June 8, 2017|access-date=July 19, 2017|quote=I discussed with the FBI's leadership team whether I should be prepared to assure President-Elect Trump that we were not investigating him personally. ... without him directly asking the question, I offered that assurance. ... I replied that he should give that careful thought because it might create a narrative that we were investigating him personally, which we weren't ... we had told those Congressional leaders that we were not personally investigating President Trump. I reminded him I had previously told him that.}}{{cite web |last1=Carroll |first1=Lauren |last2=Kruzel |first2=John |url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/jun/07/comeys-testimony-corroborates-accounts-press-repor/ |title=The 3 things Comey's advance testimony corroborates from press reports, Trump |work=PolitiFact |date=June 7, 2017 |access-date=July 19, 2017 |quote=Comey's prepared remarks bolster Trump's claim. He says he assured Trump three different times, the first instance coming in a January 6 meeting a Trump Tower.}}

According to Comey associates interviewed by news organizations, Trump had asked Comey in January to pledge loyalty to him, to which Comey demurred, instead offering him "honesty".{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-asked-james-comey-to-pledge-his-loyalty-to-him/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |title=Trump asked James Comey to pledge his loyalty to him |publisher=CBS News |date=May 11, 2017 |quote=Soon after he was inaugurated, President Trump asked FBI Director James Comey to pledge his loyalty to him, a request that Comey turned down. Several sources within the FBI have stated that the White House's firing of Comey was a culmination of high-level efforts to interfere in the Russia investigation.}} Comey indicated he was willing to testify about his dismissal but only in an open hearing.{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/fbi/333241-comey-willing-to-testify-but-only-in-public-report |title=Comey willing to testify, but only in public: report |last=Cohn |first=Alicia |date=May 13, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=May 13, 2017}} He declined an invitation from the Senate Intelligence Committee to testify before a closed-door session.

On May 11, Acting Director McCabe testified before the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that "Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI and still does" and that "the vast majority of FBI employees enjoyed a deep and positive connection to Director Comey". This contradicted White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who said she had heard from "countless" FBI agents in support of the firing.{{cite news|last1=Goldman|first1=Adam|author-link1=Adam Goldman|last2=Rosenberg|first2=Matthew|author-link2=Matthew Rosenberg|title=Acting F.B.I. Chief Contradicts White House on Russia and Comey|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/us/politics/andrew-mccabe-fbi-chief-russia-trump.html|access-date=January 29, 2019|work=The New York Times|date=May 12, 2017|page=A1}}

On May 16, The New York Times revealed the existence of a memo Comey had written after a February 14 meeting with Trump. It said that Trump had asked him to drop the FBI's investigation into Mike Flynn, who had been fired as National Security Advisor the day before.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/politics/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html|title=Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation|last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|author-link=Michael S. Schmidt|date=May 16, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 16, 2017}} Comey later explained that he had arranged, through a friend, for the memo to be shared with the press in hope it might prompt the appointment of a special counsel.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/336932-comey-leaked-memo-to-prompt-special-counsel |title=Comey leaked memos to prompt special counsel |last=Williams |first=Katie Bo |date=June 8, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

On June 8, 2017, Comey gave public testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about his firing.{{cite web |title=S. Hrg. 115-99 - Open Hearing with Former FBI Director James Comey |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CHRG-115shrg25890/CHRG-115shrg25890 |website=GovInfo.gov |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=29 June 2023 |date=8 June 2017}} When asked why thought he had been fired, he said he had been confused by the shifting explanations for it but that "I take the president at his word that I was fired because of the Russia investigation."{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-comey-testimony-summary-trust-trump-hopes-theres-tapes/|title=James Comey testifies before Senate Intelligence Committee|date=June 8, 2018|work=CBS News|access-date=March 19, 2018}}{{r|govinfo:68|page=17}} He said that he had made contemporaneous notes about several of his conversations with the president because "I was honestly concerned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting so I felt the need to document it."{{r|govinfo:68|page=11}} He said he had not done so with the two previous presidents he had served.{{r|govinfo:68|page=11}}

On April 19, 2018, the Justice Department released 15 pages of documents to Congress which comprise partially declassified memos that Comey made after his meetings with Trump. The memos were released by Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd in both a classified and unclassified versions. The unclassified version was obtained by Mary Clare Jalonick of the Associated Press on April 19 and published the next day.{{cite news|last1=Jalonick|first1=Mary Clare|last2=Tucker|first2=Eric|last3=Day|first3=Chad|title=In Comey memos, Trump fixates on 'hookers,' frets over Flynn|url=https://www.apnews.com/e29d5563fc0c45caa4faa6b3749405a6|access-date=April 21, 2018|publisher=Associated Press|date=April 20, 2018}}{{cite tweet|last=Day |first=Chad |title=Here are the Comey memos as obtained by @AP's @MCJalonick|user=ChadSDay |number=987135886881148928 |date=April 20, 2018 |access-date=April 21, 2018}}

In June 2018, DOJ inspector general Michael Horowitz told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he had received a referral from the FBI regarding Comey's release of his Trump meeting memos to Daniel Richman, parts of which were classified "confidential" after the fact.{{Cite news |first1=Jack |last1=Date |first2=Pierre |last2=Thomas |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/justice-department-ig-investigating-comey-memos-fbi-referral/story?id=55985241 |date=June 18, 2018 |title=Justice Department IG investigating Comey memos after FBI referral |website=ABC News |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} The DOJ decided in July 2019 to not prosecute Comey, with Fox News quoting one official saying, "Everyone at the DOJ involved in the decision said it wasn't a close call. They all thought this could not be prosecuted."{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-will-not-prosecute-comey-for-leaking-memos-after-ig-referral-source |title=DOJ will not prosecute Comey for leaking memos after IG referral: sources |first1=Brooke |last1=Singman |first2=Jake |last2=Gibson |date=August 1, 2019 |website=Fox News |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

In a second report released August 29, 2019, IG Horowitz found that Comey violated agency policies when he retained a set of memos he wrote documenting meetings with President Donald Trump early in 2017, and caused one of them to be leaked to the press.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/politics/james-comey-ig-report/index.html |date=August 29, 2019 |title=DOJ watchdog says James Comey broke FBI policy by keeping, leaking Trump meeting memos |first1=David |last1=Shortell |first2=Katelyn |last2=Polantz |first3=Jeremy |last3=Herb |first4=Sara |last4=Murray |website=CNN |access-date=August 29, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/politics/ig-report-james-comey/index.html |date=August 29, 2019 |title=READ: IG report on James Comey memos |website=CNN |access-date=August 29, 2019 }} Though Comey is said by the report to have set a "dangerous example" for FBI employees in an attempt to "achieve a personally desired outcome", the Inspector General has found "no evidence that Comey or his attorneys released any of the classified information contained in any of the memos to members of the media", and the Department of Justice declined to prosecute Comey.

In July 2022, The New York Times reported that both Comey and McCabe had been selected for the most invasive type of IRS audit after they had been fired from the FBI. The matter was referred to a Treasury Department inspector general on the day after the report.{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |title=Comey and McCabe, Who Infuriated Trump, Both Faced Intensive I.R.S. Audits |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/us/politics/comey-mccabe-irs-audits.html |work=The New York Times |date=July 6, 2022}}{{cite news |title=I.R.S. Asks Inspector General to Review Audits of Comey and McCabe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/07/us/politics/irs-comey-mccabe.html |work=The New York Times |date=July 7, 2022|author1=Michael S. Schmidt|author2=Glenn Thrush}} The Times said that the odds of anyone being selected for such an audit are very low, and the odds of the two top former FBI officials both being selected by chance were "minuscule". According to tax experts, both had an increased chance of being randomly selected for research audits because their incomes increased after their FBI careers ended – Comey by his book deals and paid speeches, and McCabe by his CNN punditry. The Times reported in November 2022 that Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly said the president told him Comey and McCabe were among his perceived political enemies he wanted to "get the IRS on".{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |title=Trump Wanted I.R.S. Investigations of Foes, Top Aide Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/13/us/politics/trump-irs-investigations.html |work=The New York TImes |date=November 13, 2022}} Trump denied being involved in the audits.{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |title=Report Suggests Tax Audits of Trump Foes Were Random, but Leaves Questions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/01/us/politics/irs-audit-comey-mccabe.html |work=The New York TImes |date=December 2, 2022}} The inspector general's report found no wrongdoing. According to the report, in overall, IRS audit processes "worked as designed".{{cite news |first1=Jacob |last1=Bogage |title=Trump did not target ex-FBI leaders with tax audits, investigators say |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/12/01/trump-irs-comey-mccabe/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 1, 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Burns |first1=Tobias |title=Treasury watchdog finds no Trump retribution evidence in Comey, McCabe audits |url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/3758611-treasury-watchdog-finds-no-trump-retribution-evidence-in-comey-mccabe-audits/ |work=The Hill |date=December 1, 2022}}

Macmillan Publishers' Flatiron Books announced in August 2017 that it had acquired the rights to Comey's first book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, in which he discusses ethics, leadership, and his experience in government.{{cite news |date=August 2, 2017 |first=Alexandra |last=Alter |title=James Comey, Former F.B.I. Director, to Publish a Book Next Spring|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/books/james-comey-book.html|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} Several publishers had submitted bids in an auction conducted by literary agency Javelin.{{cite news |first=Alexandra |last=Alter |date=July 15, 2017|title=Comey's Writing a Book, and Publishers Are Eager to Pay Big Money for It|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/15/us/politics/former-fbi-director-james-comey-book.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/11/02/james-comeys-new-book-tell-readers-a-higher-loyalty/824655001 |first=Jessica |last=Estepa |title=James Comey's new book will tell readers about 'A Higher Loyalty' |work=USA Today |date=November 2, 2017 |access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-director-james-comeys-book-title-revealed-higher/story?id=50883203 |title=Former FBI Director Comey takes veiled swipe at Trump with book: 'A Higher Loyalty' |last=Stracqualursi |first=Veronica |date=November 2, 2017|website=ABC News |access-date=November 2, 2017}} The release date was moved up from May 1, 2018 to April 17, 2018, due to scrutiny faced by the FBI during the Special Counsel investigation.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/bab4442efded4ba1a6549e2a674c6f83 |title=Publisher moves up release of James Comey memoir to April 17 |work=Associated Press |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

A month before Comey's book was released, presale orders made it the top seller on Amazon. The boom was attributed to a series of Twitter attacks on Comey by Trump, in which Trump claimed that Comey "knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!"{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/james-comey-book-donald-trump_us_5aae84b5e4b0c33361b182c4|title=James Comey's Book Soars On Best Sellers List As Donald Trump Attacks Him On Twitter|last=Miller|first=Hayley|date=March 18, 2018|work=Huffington Post|access-date=March 19, 2018}} In response, Comey tweeted, "Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not."{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/18/media/james-comey-book-best-seller/index.html |title=James Comey's book is already a best seller, with Trump's help |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=March 18, 2018 |work=CNN Money |access-date=March 19, 2018}} Comey's autobiography was well-received, with The New York Times calling it "very persuasive" and describing the book as "absorbing" in its book review.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/12/books/review/james-comey-a-higher-loyalty.html|title=James Comey Has a Story to Tell|work=The New York Times|last=Kakutani|first=Michiko|date=April 12, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}

Additionally, Comey has written the foreword for a biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt entitled A Christian and a Democrat: A Religious Biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.{{cite web |url=https://www.eerdmans.com/Products/7685/a-christian-and-a-democrat.aspx |title=A Christian and a Democrat |publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |access-date=November 10, 2019 }} Comey has authored a second book, Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust, which was also published by Macmillan Publishers' Flatiron Books.{{Cite web|last=Concha|first=Joe|date=2020-07-22|title=Comey to release second book, 'Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust' in January|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/508573-comey-to-release-second-book-saving-justice-truth-transparency-and-trust-in|access-date=2020-10-28|website=TheHill|language=en}}

In 2017, a pseudonymous Twitter account called @projectexile7 (later changed to @formerbu), which uses "Reinhold Niebuhr" as its display name, was speculated to be operated by Comey, and he subsequently confirmed it to be his.{{cite news |author-link=Carrie Johnson (journalist) |first=Carrie |last=Johnson |access-date=November 10, 2019 |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/10/23/559545666/comey-fesses-up-claims-ownership-of-suspected-twitter-account |title=Comey Fesses Up, Confirms Ownership of Suspected Twitter Account |work=NPR |date=October 23, 2017 }}

In 2023, Comey's first novel, a legal thriller entitled Central Park West, was published by Mysterious Press. He told The Washington Post that he was working on more novels, saying "I want this to be my job".{{cite news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/20/james-comey-central-park-west-mystery-novel/|title = James Comey is trying to master the twist ending. This time, on purpose.|newspaper = The Washington Post|date = May 20, 2023|accessdate = July 21, 2023|last = Nguyen|first = Sophie|url-access = limited}} In 2024, he published his second novel, Westport.{{cite book | first = James | last = Comey | title = Westport | isbn = 978-1613165249 | publisher = Mysterious Press | date = May 21, 2024 }} In 2025, he published his third novel, FDR Drive.{{cite web |last=Italie |first=Hillel |date=May 19, 2025 |title=Former FBI director James Comey calls controversy over Instagram post ‘a bit of a distraction’ |url=https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-trump-instagram-secret-service-059af3d69272e959150fda23ebc37a13 |website=AP News |publisher=AP News |access-date=May 22, 2025}}

In the summer of 2017, Comey gave the convocation speech and a series of lectures at Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., In the fall of 2018, Comey returned to his alma mater, the College of William & Mary, to teach a course on ethical leadership. He became an executive professor in education, a non-tenured position at the College. Comey joined assistant professor Drew Stelljes to teach the course during the 2018–2019 academic year.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/comey-to-teach-course-on-ethical-leadership-for-college-of-william-and-mary/2018/01/18/4ea7b2ca-fc8d-11e7-8f66-2df0b94bb98a_story.html|author=Nick Anderson|title=Comey to teach course on ethical leadership for College of William & Mary |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=November 10, 2019}}

In February 2019, in the midst of controversy surrounding a blackface picture in new Virginia governor Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook, and a national debate about the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials, Comey published an op-ed in The Washington Post, suggesting that Virginia should get rid of the Confederate statues in Richmond: "Expressing bipartisan horror at blackface photos is essential, but removing the statues would show all of America that Virginia really has changed."{{cite news |title=Take down the Confederate statues now |first=James |last=Comey |newspaper=Washington Post |date=February 7, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/blackface-is-a-tool-of-white-oppression-there-are-many-moer-towering-over-us/2019/02/07/4ea303b6-2b11-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

In a May 2019 op-ed published in the New York Times, as Attorney General William Barr was scheduled to be questioned in congressional hearings, Comey wrote: "Accomplished people lacking inner strength can't resist the compromises necessary to survive Mr. Trump and that adds up to something they will never recover from. It takes character like Mr. Mattis's to avoid the damage, because Mr. Trump eats your soul in small bites." He concluded with, "Of course, to stay, you must be seen as on his team, so you make further compromises. You use his language, praise his leadership, tout his commitment to values. And then you are lost. He has eaten your soul."{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/opinion/william-barr-testimony.html |title=James Comey: How Trump Co-opts Leaders Like Bill Barr |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 1, 2019 |last=Comey |first=James |access-date=November 10, 2019 }}

In 2020, Comey's tenure as the FBI director has been depicted in the Showtime TV mini-series The Comey Rule; he was portrayed by Jeff Daniels.

Comey is a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation, an American non-partisan research foundation.{{Cite web |title=Senior Fellows |url=https://kettering.org/?fellowship=senior-fellows |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Kettering Foundation |language=en-US}}

Comey was a registered Republican for most of his life. He donated to Senator John McCain's campaign in the 2008 presidential election and to Governor Mitt Romney's campaign in the 2012 presidential election.{{cite news|last1=Allen|first1=Mike|last2=Gerstein|first2=Josh|date=May 29, 2013|title=President Obama to tap James Comey for FBI |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/james-comey-fbi-092010 |work=Politico |access-date=June 14, 2017}} He disclosed during congressional testimony in July 2016 that he was no longer registered with any party.{{cite web |title=Serial No. 114-67 (House Hearing) - Oversight of the State Department |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CHRG-114hhrg21323/CHRG-114hhrg21323 |website=GovInfo.gov |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=29 June 2023 |page=31 |date=7 July 2016 |quote=I have been a registered Republican for most of my life. I'm not registered any longer.}} In an interview with ABC News in April 2018, Comey said that the Republican Party "left me and many others", and that "these people don't represent anything I believe in".{{cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |title=Comey says he was driven from the Republican Party by Trumpian politics |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/04/18/comey-says-he-was-driven-from-the-republican-party-by-trumpian-politics/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 23, 2018|date=April 18, 2018}} In July 2018, Comey urged voters to vote for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections through Twitter. He wrote, "This Republican Congress has proven incapable of fulfilling the Founders' design that 'Ambition must ... counteract ambition.' All who believe in this country's values must vote for Democrats this fall. Policy differences don't matter right now. History has its eyes on us."{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/17/politics/james-comey-democrats-tweet/index.html |title=Ex-FBI head James Comey urges public to vote Democratic|last=Tatum|first=Sophie|date=July 18, 2018|publisher=CNN|access-date=July 19, 2018}} He donated to the campaign of Virginia Democratic candidate Jennifer Wexton in the 2018 elections and canvassed for Wexton.{{cite news |last=Hellmann |first=Jessie |title=James Comey knocks on doors for Virginia Democrat Jennifer Wexton |date=November 6, 2018 |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/415221-james-comey-knocks-on-door-for-democrat-jennifer-wexton |access-date=November 6, 2018 |work=The Hill}} He donated to Senator Amy Klobuchar's campaign in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries; following the suspension of her campaign, he then endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/440279-james-comey-donated-to-amy-klobuchar-campaign|title=James Comey, wife donated $5,400 to Klobuchar's presidential campaign|last=Frazin|first=Rachel|website=The Hill|date=April 23, 2019|accessdate=May 1, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/03/jame-comey-backing-joe-biden-119614|title=James Comey says he's backing Biden for president|last=Oprysko|first=Caitlin|website=POLITICO|language=en|date=March 3, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/03/politics/james-comey-joe-biden-endorsement/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=Comey announces support for Biden on Super Tuesday|date=March 3, 2020|author=Chandelis Duster}}

Comey is of Irish descent and was raised in a Roman Catholic household{{cite web |url=https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-american-from-yonkers-james-comey-named-head-of-fbi-217783661-237767521 |title=Irish American from Yonkers James Comey named head of FBI |work=irishcentral.com |access-date=October 5, 2014 |date=July 31, 2013 }} but now belongs to the United Methodist Church, where he has taught Sunday school. He is {{convert|6|ft|8|in|m}} tall.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/comey-book-trump-a-higher-loyalty-1.4617352 |title=In his new book, James Comey compares Trump to Mob boss |date=April 12, 2018 |work=CBC News |access-date=April 13, 2018 |agency=Associated Press }}

Comey met his wife, Patrice Failor, when they were both students at the College of William and Mary. They married in 1987 and are the parents of five children,{{cite web|author=Neill Caldwell|url=http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/blogs-commentaries/post/next-fbi-director-is-a-united-methodist |title=Next FBI director is a United Methodist|publisher=United Methodist News Service|date=July 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619191132/http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/blogs-commentaries/post/next-fbi-director-is-a-united-methodist |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-date=June 19, 2016|url-status=dead}} and a son who died in infancy. He has said that he learned to make something good happen after a tragedy.{{cite web|last1=Page|first1=Susan|title=James Comey: Lessons he learned from the tragic loss of his infant son|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/16/james-comey-book-higher-loyalty-infant-son-death/517163002 |date=April 16, 2018 |website=USA Today |access-date=May 3, 2018}}{{cite web|last=Green|first=Frank|title=Comey's new book includes personal passages about his time in Richmond, death of his newborn son|url=https://www.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/comey-s-new-book-includes-personal-passages-about-his-time/article_5275e53c-6230-5864-b7f2-ad09b9f3144b.html |date=April 18, 2018 |website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|access-date=April 19, 2018|language=en}} They have also been foster parents.{{cite web|last1=Perkins|first1=Madeleine Sheehan|title=Photos show former FBI director James Comey entering New York Times building in Manhattan for event |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/comey-new-york-times-office-casa-2017-6|website=Business Insider|access-date=June 23, 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170623100058/http://www.businessinsider.com/comey-new-york-times-office-casa-2017-6|archive-date=June 23, 2017|url-status=live|date=June 23, 2017}} {{As of|2023}}, Comey and his wife reside in McLean, Virginia.

Their oldest daughter, Maurene, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2013 and is currently an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/maurene-comey-james-comey-daughter-leading-jeffrey-epstein-case-2019-7|title=James Comey's daughter is a lead prosecutor on Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case. Here's what we know about her.|last=Goggin|first=Benjamin|website=Business Insider|access-date=August 13, 2019|date=July 11, 2019 }}

In his book Donald Trump v. The United States, Michael S. Schmidt revealed that Comey was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2006.{{cite book |last=Schmidt |first=Michael |date=2020-09-01 |title=Donald Trump v. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/604656/donald-trump-v-the-united-states-by-michael-s-schmidt/ |publisher=Random House |pages=96–99 |isbn=9781984854667}} Comey had a malignant tumor removed from his colon in 2006.{{Cite news |last=Schmidt |first=Michael S. |date=2014-05-19 |title=At F.B.I., Change in Leaders Didn't Change Focus on Terror |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/us/at-fbi-change-in-leaders-didnt-change-focus-on-terror.html |access-date=2023-06-17 |issn=0362-4331}}

• Inspector General report on FBI and DOJ actions in the 2016 election

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite news |last=Ackerman |first=Spencer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/27/james-comey-justice-department-data-monitoring |title=James Comey remained at Justice Department as monitoring went on |work=The Guardian |date=June 27, 2013 }}
• {{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Laura |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/21/james-comey-fbi-director-bush-history |title=Let's check James Comey's Bush years record before he becomes FBI director |work=The Guardian |date=June 21, 2013 }}
• {{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Riley |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/james-comey-fbi-accountability-214234 |title=The Case Against James Comey |work=Politico |date=September 11, 2016 }}
• Wittes, Benjamin. "[https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/defense-jim-comey-politicos-bizarrely-shoddy-attack-fbi-director In Defense of Jim Comey: Politico's Bizarrely Shoddy Attack on the FBI Director]". Lawfare Blog. September 14, 2016.{{Unreliable source?|date=November 2016}}

{{Commons category|James Comey}}

{{Wikisource-author|James Brien Comey}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{Twitter|Comey}}
• [https://www.justice.gov/archive/dag/speeches/2005/dagfarewell.htm Department of Justice Farewell Address]
• [https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/comey-bio.html James B. Comey – White House Biography]
• {{C-SPAN|87614}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050910131352/http://www.usdoj.gov/dag/jamescomeybio.html James B. Comey Professional Biography], United States Department of Justice
• [http://gulcfac.typepad.com/georgetown_university_law/files/comey.transcript.pdf Transcript of James Comey's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, May 15, 2007]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071005161012/http://www.greenbag.org/docs/Comey10GB2d439_2007.pdf "Intelligence Under the Law", a speech delivered by James Comey to the National Security Agency on Law Day, May 20, 2005]
• {{cite web |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1198058690626 |title=Corporate Counsel article – "Attention Must Be Paid" |author= |date=January 1, 2008 |publisher=law.com }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130607194955/http://www.law.columbia.edu/fac/James_Comey Profile on Columbia Law School]
• [https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf James Comey's opening statement preceding the June 8, 2017 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing]

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