The plot thickens: Clinton identified as "Person 1" in James Comey indictment
By willowt // 2025-09-30
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  • Comey is charged with two counts: false statements and obstruction of justice.
  • "PERSON 1" in the indictment is identified as Hillary Clinton, and "PERSON 3" is Comey’s confidant, Daniel Richman.
  • Comey allegedly authorized Richman to leak classified information about the FBI’s Clinton email investigation.
  • Comey’s actions have long been under scrutiny for their impact on the 2016 election and the FBI’s handling of investigations involving Clinton and Trump.
  • The indictment deepens the ongoing controversy surrounding Comey and his role in FBI operations.
On September 28, former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on two counts—false statements and obstruction of justice—by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia. The charges stem from Comey’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020, where he allegedly misrepresented whether he had authorized leaks regarding a significant FBI investigation. ABC News has identified "PERSON 1" in the charging documents as Hillary Clinton, and "PERSON 3" as Comey’s longtime friend and Columbia Law School professor, Daniel Richman. Comey allegedly authorized Richman to leak classified information about the FBI’s investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server, a move that set the stage for the appointment of a special counsel. The indictment underscores a complex web of unauthorized disclosures and false statements that have placed Comey in significant legal peril.

The Clinton email investigation

The false statement charge appears to center on leaked details about the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server. Prosecutors argue that Comey misled Congress by denying he had authorized leaks concerning the investigation. The indictment alleges Comey claimed that he had not "authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports" about the investigation, despite knowing Richman had been acting as an anonymous source. According to officials and individuals briefed on the case, Richman relayed details from Comey to Michael Schmidt of The New York Times in May 2017, contributing significantly to the push for a special counsel. This leak was intended to expose potential obstruction of justice in the Clinton investigation, a move that has now come back to haunt Comey in the form of criminal charges.

Richman’s role in the leaks

Daniel Richman, Comey’s longtime confidant, has been a key figure in the indictment. Richman, who was not accused of wrongdoing in Comey’s indictment, was implicated as “PERSON 3.” He served as Comey’s liaison with the media, and according to newly declassified memos, Comey shared classified information with Richman, who then leaked the details to the press. Richman’s actions, which included speaking with reporters about the investigation, were designed to influence public perception and potentially spark further inquiries. ABC News reported that Comey had been hiding the professional relationship between him and Richman for years, initially describing Richman as merely a "friend" or informal adviser. It was only revealed later that Richman was Comey’s personal lawyer and an unpaid employee of the FBI, a detail that was concealed until shortly before Comey’s congressional testimony.

The polarizing figure of James Comey

For nearly a decade, James Comey has been at the center of intense political and legal scrutiny. His actions during the 2016 election, particularly regarding the Clinton email investigation and the apparent watering down of allegations against Donald Trump in the Russia collusion probe, have been subjects of debate and controversy. Comey’s handling of the FBI during the Trump era was heavily criticized by the president and his allies, who accused him of damaging Trump’s first term. The indictment does not focus on Comey’s role in the Trump-Russia investigation, which remains contentious among his critics and supporters alike. Instead, it zeroes in on his alleged conduct during the Clinton email inquiry, a matter that has long been a point of contention for Democrats and media commentators.

National security authorities react

The legal fallout from Comey’s indictment extends beyond criminal charges. FBI Director Kash Patel, addressing the indictment in a statement, criticized the bureau’s politicization during the Trump years, particularly in relation to the "Russiagate" investigation. "Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax," Patel wrote, indicating that the bureau is still negotiating its legacy from that period.

A revelatory endgame

The indictment of James Comey, while focusing on the Clinton email investigation, has thrust Richman’s role and Comey’s legal deft into the national spotlight. The charges carry significant implications for Comey’s legacy and for the FBI’s reputation. As the criminal proceedings unfold, the case will likely reveal further details about Comey’s involvement in the Clinton email probe and the dynamics between the FBI, the media and political elites. The legal challenge ahead for Comey underscores the broader implications of national security and the complex interplay between law enforcement and public scrutiny. Comey’s actions have long been a subject of bipartisan debate, and his indictment serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions in the American political and legal landscape. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com ABC17news.com TheGatewayPundit.com
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