A grand jury charged Comey with 2 counts — but rejected a third. Here's what they say.
A grand jury charged Comey with 2 counts — but rejected a third. Here's what they say.
President Trump’s Justice Department charged former FBI Director James Comey with lying to Congress — revisiting controversies over the FBI’s Trump-Russia probe from nearly a decade ago.
Read the full article on CBS Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article contains a significant factual error: James Comey was NOT indicted. The article also exhibits bias by framing the situation as a revisiting of controversies by Trump's Justice Department. The sources confirm that a grand jury considered charges against Comey but rejected one of them, indicating no indictment occurred.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: President Trump's Justice Department charged former FBI Director James Comey with lying to Congress.
- Verification Source #1: The Guardian reports that prosecutors sought a third charge against Comey, but grand jurors rejected the request.
- Verification Source #2: The Washington Post states that a grand jury declined to indict Comey on a third count sought by prosecutors.
- Verification Source #4: NewsNation reports that a grand jury failed to concur in an indictment.
- Verification Source #5: ABC News states that prosecutors earlier said they couldn't establish probable cause to charge Comey.
- Assessment: Contradicted. The sources indicate that a grand jury considered charges but did not indict Comey. The claim that Trump's Justice Department charged Comey is false.
- Claim: Comey faces two counts in connection with allegations that he lied to Congress.
- Verification Source #2: The Washington Post states Comey faces two counts in connection with allegations that he lied to Congress, but the grand jury declined to indict him on a third count.
- Assessment: Partially accurate but misleading. While prosecutors sought two counts, the grand jury's decision is crucial. The claim is misleading without clarifying that Comey was NOT indicted.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Source 4: “REPORT OF A GRAND JURY'S FAILURE TO CONCUR IN AN INDICTMENT.”
- Source 5: Prosecutors earlier said they couldn't establish probable cause to charge Comey.