Justice Department officials clarify that rumors about James Comey’s arrest are baseless before his court appearance.

Rumors of Comey’s Arrest Dismissed by Justice Officials

CHICAGO — On Tuesday, senior Justice Department officials pushed back against speculation surrounding a potential arrest of former FBI Director James Comey. This comes just before his scheduled arraignment.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, during an interview at the FBI’s Chicago field office, stated that claims of Comey being arrested in a media spectacle—often referred to as a “criminal walk”—are merely distractions. “We arrest individuals daily in courts across the country,” Blanche noted, labeling the rumors about Comey as “gossip.”

Comey is facing charges of making false statements and obstructing Congress. Blanche mentioned that Comey has been directed to appear in court, and he fully expects him to show up. However, he also commented on the chatter from various media outlets about a dramatic arrest, saying, “It’s just noise.”

Recent reports have indicated that an FBI employee was relieved of duty for refusing to take part in an extravagant arrest of Comey. While Comey has been summoned to court in Virginia regarding accusations of lying to Congress, it’s still unclear whether an arrest is actually on the table.

Meanwhile, Patel, who was visiting the Chicago field office, expressed his support for FBI agents involved in Operation Midway Blitz—a significant immigration enforcement effort that’s increased conflict among city officials, federal agencies, and activists. He criticized media portrayals of Comey as an unfair “smear” of the FBI’s work.

“The mainstream media seems intent on distracting from the real issues,” Patel remarked. He emphasized that the FBI’s focus is on securing results in the courtroom: “We want Mr. Comey to have his day in court, and that starts tomorrow.”