James Comey

James Comey
Born	James Brien Comey Jr. 12/14/1960
Birthplace	Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, former government official
Title	Director of the FBI (2013–2017)
Known for	7th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Education	J.D., University of Chicago Law School
Children	6
Awards	Edmund J. Randolph Award

James Brien Comey Jr. (born December 14, 1960) is an American lawyer and former government official who served as the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from September 2013 until his dismissal in May 2017. A career prosecutor and legal official, Comey previously served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003 and as the United States Deputy Attorney General from 2003 to 2005 under President George W. Bush. His tenure at the FBI was defined by two of the most consequential and contentious episodes in modern American law enforcement: the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as Secretary of State, and the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible links to the campaign of Donald Trump. Comey's firing by President Trump on May 9, 2017, and the events that followed — including his congressional testimony and the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller — placed him at the center of a political and constitutional crisis that consumed much of the Trump presidency. After leaving government, Comey became a public commentator on law enforcement, ethics, and democratic governance. In September 2025, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal charges related to testimony he gave in 2020, an action that critics characterized as politically motivated. A federal judge dismissed the indictment, and the Department of Justice appealed the ruling in December 2025.

Early Life

James Brien Comey Jr. was born on December 14, 1960, in Yonkers, New York. He grew up in the New York metropolitan area and in New Jersey. Comey has spoken publicly about an incident during his youth in which he and his brother were held at gunpoint by a home intruder, an experience he has cited as formative in shaping his interest in law enforcement and justice.

Comey attended the College of William & Mary, where he studied chemistry and religion, completing his undergraduate degree. He went on to attend the University of Chicago Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. His senior thesis at the College of William & Mary examined the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and the televangelist Jerry Falwell, reflecting an early interest in the intersection of ethics and public life.

After law school, Comey began his legal career as an assistant United States attorney in the Southern District of New York, one of the most prominent federal prosecutor's offices in the country. He subsequently worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he handled the prosecution of several high-profile cases, including cases related to the Khobar Towers bombing and gun violence in the Richmond, Virginia, area. His early career in federal prosecution laid the groundwork for his ascent through the Department of Justice hierarchy during the administration of President George W. Bush.

Education

Comey received his Bachelor of Science degree from the College of William & Mary, where he studied chemistry and religion. He then earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School. Following his departure from government service in 2005, Comey would later hold an academic appointment at Columbia Law School, where he served as a senior research scholar and Hertog Fellow on national security law beginning in early 2013, prior to his nomination as FBI Director.

Career

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York

In January 2002, Comey was appointed by President George W. Bush as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, succeeding Mary Jo White. The Southern District of New York is widely considered one of the most important federal prosecutor's offices in the United States, handling major cases involving terrorism, financial crime, organized crime, and public corruption. Comey served in this role until December 2003, when he was elevated to the position of Deputy Attorney General.

During his time as U.S. Attorney, Comey oversaw several significant prosecutions, including cases stemming from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and their aftermath. His tenure occurred during a period of heightened national security concern and significant expansion of federal law enforcement powers under the USA PATRIOT Act.

Deputy Attorney General

On December 9, 2003, Comey was sworn in as the 31st United States Deputy Attorney General, the second-highest position in the Department of Justice, serving under Attorney General John Ashcroft. He succeeded Larry Thompson in the role.

Comey's most notable action as Deputy Attorney General occurred in March 2004, during the dramatic hospital bedside confrontation involving the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program. When Attorney General Ashcroft was incapacitated and hospitalized with acute pancreatitis, Comey, as acting Attorney General, refused to certify the legality of the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping program. White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card traveled to Ashcroft's hospital bed to attempt to obtain his signature reauthorizing the program, but Comey — who had rushed to the hospital after being alerted — was present and Ashcroft deferred to his acting attorney general's judgment, refusing to sign. The incident was later cited as a significant example of institutional resistance to executive overreach and became central to Comey's reputation as someone willing to defy political pressure to uphold the law.

During his confirmation hearing for the FBI directorship in 2013, Comey described the hospital incident in detail in public testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Comey also played a role in deliberations over the Bush administration's enhanced interrogation techniques. He expressed reservations about certain interrogation methods and worked within the Department of Justice to set limits on the legal authorization for their use.

Comey served as Deputy Attorney General until August 15, 2005, when he left the Department of Justice. He was succeeded by Paul McNulty. Upon his departure, Comey received the Edmund J. Randolph Award, the Department of Justice's highest award for leadership and public service.

Private Sector

After leaving government, Comey entered the private sector. In August 2005, Lockheed Martin, the aerospace and defense corporation, named him as its general counsel and senior vice president. He served in this position for approximately five years.

In 2010, Comey left Lockheed Martin to become general counsel at Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world. He also served on the board of directors of HSBC Holdings, the global banking corporation, a position he held until July 2013, when he was confirmed as FBI Director.

In early 2013, Comey left Bridgewater Associates to accept an academic appointment at Columbia Law School as a senior research scholar and Hertog Fellow on national security law. This appointment was short-lived, as President Barack Obama nominated him to lead the FBI later that year.

Director of the FBI

On June 21, 2013, President Barack Obama formally nominated Comey to serve as the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, succeeding Robert Mueller, who had served in the role for twelve years. The nomination drew praise from both Democrats and Republicans, with supporters citing his record of independence during the Bush administration, particularly the 2004 hospital confrontation. Civil liberties groups offered more mixed assessments, raising questions about his involvement in Bush-era national security policies.

The United States Senate confirmed Comey on July 29, 2013, by a vote of 93–1. He was formally sworn in as FBI Director on September 4, 2013.

Law Enforcement and Race

During his tenure as FBI Director, Comey delivered several notable public addresses. In a February 2015 speech at Georgetown University titled "Hard Truths: Law Enforcement and Race," Comey acknowledged the history of racial bias in American law enforcement and called for greater data collection on police use of force and more open dialogue about the relationship between police and the communities they serve. The speech drew attention for its candor and marked a departure from the typical public communications of FBI directors.

Hillary Clinton Email Investigation

Comey's most controversial actions as FBI Director involved the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as Secretary of State, an investigation known internally as "Midyear Exam." The FBI examined whether Clinton's handling of classified information through the private server constituted criminal conduct.

On July 5, 2016, Comey held an unusual press conference in which he announced that the FBI would recommend no criminal charges against Clinton, while simultaneously criticizing her and her staff as "extremely careless" in their handling of classified information. The announcement was unusual because FBI directors do not traditionally make independent public pronouncements regarding prosecution decisions, which are the purview of the Department of Justice. Attorney General Loretta Lynch had previously recused herself from the final decision after a controversial tarmac meeting with former President Bill Clinton.

On October 28, 2016, eleven days before the presidential election, Comey sent a letter to Congress informing lawmakers that the FBI had discovered new emails potentially relevant to the Clinton investigation, found on a laptop belonging to Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of Clinton aide Huma Abedin. The announcement reignited the controversy surrounding Clinton's emails during the final stretch of the campaign. Senior Justice Department officials had warned Comey that notifying Congress was not consistent with Department policy regarding actions close to an election.

On November 6, 2016, two days before Election Day, Comey sent a second letter to Congress stating that the newly discovered emails did not change the FBI's earlier conclusion. Clinton and many of her supporters later attributed her electoral loss, at least in part, to Comey's October 28 letter. On June 14, 2018, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz released a report on the FBI's handling of the Clinton email investigation, which criticized Comey's actions during the 2016 election as departing from established norms and protocols.

Russia Investigation and Dismissal

Comey also oversaw the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential links between Russian operatives and members of the Trump presidential campaign, an investigation code-named "Crossfire Hurricane."

On May 9, 2017, President Donald Trump fired Comey as FBI Director. The initial justification offered by the White House cited the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whose memo criticized Comey's handling of the Clinton email investigation. However, in subsequent statements, Trump himself indicated that the Russia investigation had been a factor in his decision. In a televised interview with Lester Holt of NBC News, Trump stated that he had been thinking of "this Russia thing" when he decided to fire Comey.

Following his dismissal, Comey arranged for a friend to share the contents of a memo he had written documenting a private meeting with the president. The memo stated that Trump had asked Comey to end the FBI investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who had resigned after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with the Russian ambassador. Comey's memos and his subsequent testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June 2017 became central evidence in the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Inspector General Horowitz later found that Comey violated FBI policies in his handling and dissemination of the memos documenting his interactions with Trump, but the investigation found no evidence that Comey or his lawyers shared classified information. The Department of Justice declined to prosecute Comey over the matter. In August 2019, the Office of the Inspector General concluded that Comey's retention, handling, and dissemination of the memos violated Department of Justice policies, FBI policies, and his FBI employment agreement.

In December 2019, Inspector General Horowitz released a separate report examining the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation. The report found no evidence of political bias by Comey or other FBI officials in opening the investigation, although it identified significant errors and omissions in the FBI's applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for surveillance warrants related to former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Post-FBI Career and 2025 Indictment

After leaving the FBI, Comey became a public figure, author, and commentator on issues of law, governance, and ethics. He wrote a memoir, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, published in 2018, which recounted his career and his interactions with President Trump. He also taught at Columbia Law School and appeared frequently in media.

On September 25, 2025, a federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Comey on criminal charges stemming from testimony he gave in 2020. The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, announced the indictment, which related to allegations of disclosing sensitive information.

The indictment drew immediate criticism from several quarters. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia characterized the prosecution as "retribution" by the Trump administration. A federal judge subsequently dismissed the indictment. In December 2025, the Department of Justice appealed the judge's ruling, and Comey filed to oppose the appeal. The Society for the Rule of Law Institute filed amicus briefs in the appeal.

As of early 2026, Comey continued to make public appearances, including speaking at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in Minnesota, where he discussed ethical concerns and democratic governance.

Personal Life

Comey was born and raised in Yonkers, New York. He and his wife, Patrice Failor, have six children, including Maurene Comey, who became a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. Comey stands approximately 6 feet 8 inches tall, a physical characteristic frequently noted in media profiles.

Comey was a registered Republican for most of his adult life. In 2016, he stated that he was no longer affiliated with the Republican Party and considered himself an independent. He has not publicly aligned himself with the Democratic Party.

Recognition

Upon his departure from the Department of Justice in August 2005, Comey received the Edmund J. Randolph Award, the Department of Justice's highest award for leadership and public service.

Comey's tenure as FBI Director and his subsequent public career made him one of the most recognizable figures in American law enforcement in the early 21st century. His 2004 hospital confrontation with Bush administration officials over the warrantless surveillance program has been cited by legal scholars and commentators as a notable example of institutional independence within the executive branch.

His handling of the Clinton email investigation and the circumstances of his firing by President Trump generated extensive media coverage, congressional investigations, and public debate about the independence of federal law enforcement. His memoir, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, became a bestseller upon its release in 2018.

The 2025 indictment and its subsequent dismissal by a federal judge drew renewed public attention to Comey and raised broader questions about the use of prosecutorial power against former government officials.