A federal grand jury has issued a subpoena to Daniel Richman, a Columbia Law School professor and long-time advisor to James Comey, signaling a renewed Justice Department investigation into alleged unlawful leaks of classified material. The subpoena was delivered on Monday, according to multiple law enforcement sources speaking with Fox News Digital, reigniting a probe into whether Comey provided classified information to journalists at the New York Times.
"a grave violation of our nation’s laws" Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
This marks a significant development in an investigation that first drew scrutiny during President Trump's first term. The initial probe into the leak allegations lost momentum after President Joe Biden entered the White House in 2021. However, the case has now been revived, running concurrently with another active Justice Department investigation examining alleged threats Comey directed at President Trump. The Justice Department’s renewed focus on these matters places both Comey and his legal confidant back in the federal government’s crosshairs on two distinct fronts.
Daniel Richman's connection to these inquiries dates back several years. He held a central role in the original 2018 investigation into the leak, a probe that focused heavily on his communications with reporters while he served as a special FBI employee working alongside Comey. During that earlier chapter, federal agents seized Richman’s personal electronic devices in a 2019-2020 investigation. Richman subsequently challenged the seizure in court, arguing it violated his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. His legal challenge proved successful, with a federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruling in his favor this past December after years of legal proceedings.
Despite the ruling in Richman's favor regarding the device seizure, prosecutors had reportedly already relied on material obtained from his devices to advance their case against Comey directly. Investigators utilized this evidence to secure an indictment accusing Comey of lying and obstructing a congressional inquiry. These charges are tied to testimony he gave to lawmakers in 2020, which addressed whether FBI personnel had passed information to reporters without authorization. The indictment also alleged that Richman exchanged communications with journalists concerning the bureau’s 2016 investigation into Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign against President Trump.
James Comey's legal troubles extend beyond the revived leak investigation. He is simultaneously contending with separate federal charges stemming from an Instagram post reading “86 47.” Prosecutors have characterized this post as a direct threat against the sitting President. That specific case carries a potential sentence of up to ten years behind bars for Comey, even though the prosecutor who originally built the case stepped down in early June.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the threat case in April, emphasizing the gravity of such actions. Blanche stated, calling it “a grave violation of our nation’s laws” to threaten the life of the president, and warned that “the temperature needs to be turned down.” He further articulated that anyone who “dials it up and threatens the life of the President will be held accountable,” language he used when announcing the two-count indictment charging Comey with threatening the president and transmitting that threat across state lines.
With the issuance of this new subpoena, federal investigators are actively pursuing two distinct lines of inquiry involving James Comey and Daniel Richman. The renewed focus on alleged classified leaks, coupled with the ongoing investigation into alleged threats against President Trump, underscores the continued legal scrutiny faced by the former FBI director and his long-time legal confidant. These developments highlight the Justice Department's persistent efforts to investigate high-profile individuals regarding matters of national security and presidential protection.
