Former FBI Director James Comey has long been at the center of the Trump era’s political and legal storms. Now, he faces two felony counts — false statements to Congress and obstruction of a congressional proceeding.

The charges stem from his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020, when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pressed him on whether he had ever authorized leaks about FBI investigations into Hillary Clinton’s emails or possible Trump–Russia connections.

Federal prosecutors, in fact, allege Comey authorized an intermediary to leak details of an FBI investigation, contradicting Comey’s sworn testimony. The obstruction charge requires proving his words were intended to “influence, obstruct, or impede” Congress’s oversight.

Comey will be arraigned Oct. 9 in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. His judge — Michael Nachmanoff — is a Biden appointee, a fact that ensures the trial will be viewed through a partisan lens no matter the outcome.

“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system,” Comey says in response. “And I’m innocent. So, let’s have a trial. And keep the faith.”

Send your opinions to, feedback@newsyoucanacton.com

Your Rundown for Monday, September 29, 2025...

Trump’s Pressure in Focus

Days before the federal indictment, President Trump publicly called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute Comey, along with other adversaries like Adam Schiff and Letitia James. “There is a GREAT CASE… We can’t delay any longer,” Trump wrote on social media.

That pressure coincided with the abrupt resignation of U.S. attorney Erik Siebert, who had resisted bringing charges. (His interim replacement, Lindsey Halligan, has never tried a federal case.)

• For Trump’s allies, charges were long overdue. FBI Director Kash Patel says: “Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose.”

• Democrats, however, call the indictment a weaponization of the Justice Department. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) accused Trump of seeking to “punish and silence his critics.” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) labeled it “one of the most sickening abuses of power in the history of the DOJ.”

As Paradigm’s former CIA insider Jim Rickards notes, the indictment came “days after President Trump ramped up pressure on his Justice Department to prosecute his most prominent adversaries.”

Jim adds: “The felonies each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, though if convicted, Comey would be a first-time offender who would likely receive a lesser punishment.

Beyond Comey’s fate, the case underscores a larger reality. America’s justice system is being tested in real time, and the outcome will shape not only one man’s career but also the credibility of the institutions meant to hold power accountable.

[READER: Whether you think Comey is guilty or Trump is overreaching, does this case show how far the justice system has been dragged into politics? And what might be the implications for everyday citizens?

We look forward to publishing your thoughtful reponses!]

Market Rundown for Monday, September 29, 2025

S&P 500 futures are up 0.45% to 6,725.

Oil is down almost 2% to $64.45 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold’s up 1% to $3,845.90 per ounce, another record high.

Bitcoin is up 1.65%, just over $112K.