By Newsmax Wires | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 12:51 PM EST
A federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to submit a complete transcript of grand jury proceedings in the criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey. U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, ruled that prosecutors omitted remarks made by an official who signed Comey’s indictment during a Sept. 25 grand jury session. The judge mandated the government provide a full transcript or recording of all statements before, during, and after witness testimony, including the initial three-count and subsequent two-count indictments, by Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET.
Comey has pleaded not guilty to charges of false statement and obstruction. Prosecutors assert the case focuses on alleged discussions between Comey and a former FBI associate about shaping news coverage of his 2016 decision to reopen the Hillary Clinton email probe. Comey’s legal team claims the prosecution is politically motivated, arguing it retaliates against his criticism of President Donald Trump.
The Justice Department’s recent filing outlined allegations that have limited relevance to Comey’s charges, including conversations between Comey and former FBI special employee Daniel Richman. Comey reportedly expressed frustration over media coverage of his 2016 decision to announce the reopened investigation into Clinton’s email server, writing to Richman: “Perhaps you can make him smarter,” referencing a New York Times reporter. Richman later responded that he had “got the point home” to the journalist, according to court documents.
Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation became a pivotal issue in the 2016 election, with some critics blaming it for Clinton’s loss to Trump. A 2018 internal Justice Department review criticized Comey’s management of the case but found no evidence of political bias. Prosecutors during Trump’s first term did not pursue charges against Comey.
Trump has long criticized Comey over his role in an FBI investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. After being fired by Trump in 2017, Comey became a vocal critic of the president.
