Investigation into James Comey Intensifies
An adviser to former FBI Director James Comey has reportedly received a subpoena from a federal grand jury amid an investigation into Comey’s alleged threats against President Donald Trump’s life.
This subpoena was issued on Monday, targeting Comey’s long-time friend and adviser, Daniel Richman, as officials look into claims involving leaks of classified information, according to various law enforcement sources cited by Fox News.
The renewed inquiry is linked to leaks that were reportedly provided to the New York Times.
During the presidency of Donald Trump, there was an investigation on this matter, but it came to a halt once Joe Biden took office.
Richman was noted to have played a significant role in the initial investigations into the leaks back in 2018. He even filed a lawsuit, asserting that his Fourth Amendment rights were infringed upon when officials seized data from his devices during subsequent inquiries.
Prosecutors leaned on evidence from those files to accuse Comey of making false statements and obstructing Congress regarding his 2020 testimony about FBI officials sharing information with the media.
Richman, a former special FBI employee, allegedly communicated with reporters about investigations connected to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election.
In May 2025, Comey deleted an Instagram post that some interpreted as a threat against Trump, featuring the phrase “86 47,” which was displayed using seashells on a beach. Subsequently, Comey faced accusations of threatening the president.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized in May that the indictment against Comey involved more than just the Instagram post, stating, “This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months.” He clarified that it was the grand jury, not the government, that decided to indict Comey.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) commented earlier in May, accusing Comey of lying to Congress. He characterized Comey as someone who mishandled classified information and compromised sensitive material, urging that he ought to face serious consequences.
Recently, Comey petitioned a judge to dismiss the charges, claiming that the post was merely political speech, not a genuine threat against Trump, despite Trump having faced several assassination attempts.
