By Steve Neavling
John Durham, the former special counsel who investigated the FBI’s probe into Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, told federal prosecutors this summer that he found no evidence to support criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey, according to sources cited by ABC News.
Durham’s conclusions were shared in an August meeting with prosecutors in Virginia, who were reviewing Comey’s testimony to Congress. They reached the same finding as Durham and a separate team of Washington, D.C. prosecutors: There was no proof that Comey had lied or obstructed justice.
Despite those findings, Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan rejected their recommendation and sought a three-count indictment. A grand jury later charged Comey with two counts — making false statements to Congress and obstruction — but declined a third.
The case centers on Comey’s 2020 Senate testimony, in which prosecutors allege he misrepresented his role in media leaks and his knowledge of an unverified intelligence report about Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Trump, who has pressured prosecutors to pursue his political opponents, praised the indictment.
“There’ll be others,” he said. “They weaponized the Justice Department like nobody in history.”
Durham and the Justice Department declined to comment. Career prosecutors had reportedly refused to bring the case to the grand jury, warning that prior investigations under Trump appointees had already found no basis for charges.
