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WASHINGTON – Politicians and legal experts are questioning whether former FBI Director James Comey would be convicted of charges of lying to Congress even as President Donald Trump said others who investigated him could also be indicted.
Comey was indicted Sept. 25 for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing lawmakers, after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue charges. But even conservative legal experts questioned whether the charges will stick.
The indictment led to a sharp political divide between Democrats calling the case politically motivated and Republicans saying justice would prevail. More charges are expected against Democrats and even Republicans who investigated Trump.
“I have no faith in Donald Trump's judicial system,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sept. 28. “He has turned this judicial system to be his own political fighter, (to) do what he wants politically, so that he tells them to go after people he doesn't like. He tells them to exonerate people that he likes.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, called the allegations serious and said Comey would have his day in court.
“The courts are going to have to have to decide this,” Thune told “Meet the Press” on Sept. 28. “There are people in the past who have gone to jail for lying to Congress. So I think the I trust the judicial system and the justice system to figure this out.”
Will the charges against Comey stick?
A couple of conservative columnists – Kim Strassel of the Wall Street Journal and Andrew McCarthy of National Review – raised questions on Fox News about whether Comey will be convicted.
“I’m not sure it’s actually going to stick in the end,” said Strassel on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom” on Sept. 26. “This is potentially a problematic prosecution.”
Comey was charged with lying when, while being questioned by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Sept. 30, 2020, he denied authorizing a leak to a newspaper.
McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, said former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has acknowledged leaking the information and then telling Comey about it afterward.
“I don’t think this case even gets to trial,” McCarthy said. “This case is not about Russia-gate and all the abuses. It’s about: can they prove the charges in the four corners of the indictment, and they can’t.”
McCabe told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sept. 28 he hasn’t been interviewed for the case. He called filing charges years after a three-year inquiry was closed was “bizarre.”
Trump, Vance say more charges possible against Democrats
Trump told reporters Sept. 26 he expects more charges against people who have investigated or criticized him.
“It’s not a list, but I think there'll be others," Trump said when asked who’s the next person on his “retribution” list.
"I mean, they're corrupt," Trump added. "These were corrupt radical left Democrats, but Comey, essentially was, he was worse than a Democrat. I would say the Democrats are better than Comey. But no, there'll be others.”
The Justice Department is already investigating Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton; Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James; and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California.
Vice President JD Vance denied that politics was driving the investigations but said more charges are expected.
"Well, there's certainly going to be more indictments coming over the next three and a half years the Trump administration, we're always going to let the law drive this stuff and the facts of the case, and not political motivations,” Vance told “Fox News Sunday” on Sept. 28.
Trump says former FBI Director Wray could be investigated
Trump told NBC News on Sept. 28 that he “would think” that Comey’s successor, former FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom he appointed during his first term, is also under investigation for “inappropriate” behavior in office.
“I would imagine. I would certainly imagine. I would think they are doing that,” Trump said.
Trump said Wray “did a terrible job and we just found out about it.” Trump’s comments came after his social media post Sept. 27 claiming the FBI secretly placed scores of agents in the crowd during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, "probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists."
The Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, previously investigated and found “no evidence” that undercover FBI agents were at the Capitol. The report found three confidential sources were in the crowd.
“Christopher Wray, the then Director of the FBI, has some major explaining to do,” Trump said on social media. “That’s two in a row, Comey and Wray, who got caught LYING, with our Great Country at stake.”
Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 people charged in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, including dozens convicted of insurrection and assaulting police.
Wray hasn’t responded publicly to Trump’s latest complaints. But Wray denied FBI agents or sources had orchestrated the violence during a House hearing in November 2023.
“No, there was not violence orchestrated by FBI sources or agents," Wray said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After Comey indictment, Trump says other opponents are next
Reporting by Bart Jansen and Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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