WASHINGTON – Former FBI Director James Comey is facing renewed scrutiny over his role in the handling of information related to the inquiry into Hillary Clinton, with sources telling ABC News that the focus centers on whether he improperly disclosed non-public details.The scrutiny stems from questions raised during previous congressional testimony and newly examined evidence regarding his interactions with associates, specifically Daniel Richman.
The core of the matter revolves around Comey’s admission that he provided memos documenting his conversations with then-President Donald Trump to Richman, who then shared information from those memos with a New York Times reporter. This action, coupled with testimony regarding leaks from the Clinton probe, has prompted questions about whether Comey authorized or knowingly allowed the disclosure of sensitive information. During a 2017 senate hearing, Senator Ted Cruz pressed Comey on conflicting accounts with former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, stating, “One or the other is false. Who’s telling the truth?” Comey responded by stating he could only speak to his own testimony and stood by his previous statements.
Richman served as an unpaid ”Special Government Employee” during Comey’s final two years at the FBI, focusing on lawful access to encrypted phones and frequently working “on-site at the FBI,” according to Comey’s own statements to federal investigators. He gained prominence in 2017 when Comey publicly acknowledged providing him with the Trump memos and requesting he share information with the New york Times.
Richman later told federal investigators he did not share classified information and believed he was helping Comey disseminate “unclassified, unprivileged” information “of enormous national importance,” as detailed in a Justice Department Inspector General report. He did not respond to a recent request for comment from ABC News. The renewed attention to these events underscores ongoing concerns about potential oversteps and the handling of sensitive information within the FBI during a politically charged period.
