🗞️ Story file #991
Justice Department charges former FBI Director James Comey in new case
Oct 26, 6 PM ET to Oct 28, 6 AM ET · 2 outlets not rated for lean
- 56outlets carried it
- 🫏23 · 9 · 22🐘left · center · right
- 1.5 dayson the front pages
- 59front pages at once, at its peak
- 108 minof TV captions
- 20radio newscasts
- 21people retold it online
👣 How this story traveled: from the front pages that broke it, out through TV, radio and the shows, into what people retold and what fact-checkers examined, and on into the saga it is part of. Everything here is matched to the story by our tools, so a link can be wrong; the trackers' pages say how each is made.
- Oct 26, 6 PM ETfirst on a front page: Alternet
- Oct 26, 6 PM ETfirst on the radio: NPR News Now
- Oct 26, 8 PM ETfirst on TV: BBC News
- Oct 27, 4 PM ETpeak: on 59 front pages
- Oct 28, 5 AM ETretold online by 21 people
📰 Spread
the front pages that ran it, hour by hour
📌 linked by aggregators: Drudge Report Google News Political Wire
💬 quoted: “appalling abuse” “Back Again” “Dirty Cop” “Espionage” “Fanatic obsession.” “funny” “Not afraid” “Funny” 2
🗣️ only one side says: 🐘 national defense
✏️ 19 outlets ran more than one headline on it (reworded, or a follow-up)
- ABC News (2 wordings): “DOJ seeking to charge Comey with conspiring to disclose national defense information” → “DOJ seeks to charge Comey over defense information”
- Breitbart (3 wordings): “Ex-FBI Director James Comey Charged with Federal Crimes in New Case Marks Third Case filed by DOJ Against Him” → “Ex-FBI Director James Comey Charged with Federal Crimes in New Case”
- CBS News (2 wordings): “DOJ takes steps to charge James Comey again” → “New charges filed ex-FBI officials related to Hunter Biden probe”
- CNBC (2 wordings): “DOJ charges ex-FBI Director James Comey in new case” → “Ex-FBI official's lawyers slam unusual new criminal charge”
- CNN (4 wordings): “Breaking News Justice Department charges former FBI Director James Comey for third time” → “Justice Department charges former FBI Director James Comey for third time”
- Financial Times (2 wordings): “US charges ex-FBI chief James Comey with leaking national defence information” → “US charges ex-FBI chief James Comey for third time”
- Fox News (2 wordings): “DOJ seeks to prosecute Comey over alleged national defense disclosure” → “James Comey faces new DOJ case over alleged national defense disclosure”
- HuffPost (2 wordings): “Trump’s Justice Department Charges James Comey For Third Time” → “DOJ Charges Comey A 3rd Time, Trump Fumes Over Obama's 'Cheesecake Factory' Barb: Live Updates”
- Just the News (2 wordings): “Trump DOJ charges James Comey with transmission of national defense information in third case” → “New federal case against James Comey centers again on alleged leak of classified information”
- Mediaite (2 wordings): “BREAKING: James Comey Hit With New Charges from Trump’s DOJ” → “James Comey Hit With New Charges from Trump’s DOJ”
- NBC News (2 wordings): “BREAKING: Former FBI Director James Comey is charged for a third time by the Trump administration” → “James Comey charged for a third time by the Trump administration”
- New York Post (2 wordings): “Ex-FBI Director James Comey facing charges for third time by Trump admin” → “Ex-FBI Director James Comey facing new criminal charges for allegedly leaking info to NY Times”
- Red State (4 wordings): “DOJ Hits James Comey With New Espionage Act Charges” → “James Comey DOJ Hits James Comey With New Espionage Act Charges — but There's a Catch Susie Moore”
- Reuters (2 wordings): “Ex-FBI chief James Comey charged again by Trump administration's DOJ” → “Ex-FBI chief Comey faces third prosecution attempt by Trump Justice Department”
- The Daily Wire (2 wordings): “James Comey Faces New Charges Over How Information Reached The New York Times” → “Trump Unleashes On ‘Dirty Cop’ Comey After Former FBI Boss Is Slapped With New Charges”
- The Hill (4 wordings): “Comey reacts to new charges: ‘Funny’ if it weren’t ‘appalling ...” → “Judge criticizes Justice Department’s handling of ex-FBI officials’ charges ...”
- The Washington Times (2 wordings): “Justice Department charges former FBI Directory James Comey in new case” → “Justice Department charges former FBI Director James Comey in new case”
- Townhall (3 wordings): “James Comey Indicted for Violation of the Espionage Act” → “James Comey James Comey Indicted for Violation of the Espionage Act Joe Chalfant”
- Yahoo News (2 wordings): “Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a 3rd criminal case from the Trump administration” → “Comey faces a 3rd prosecution attempt as DOJ revisits decade-old leak claims”
Every outlet's first headline (56), left to right by AllSides rating
Alternet
Comey pledges to fight 'funny' Trump 'abuse' after DOJ charges him — again Oct 26, 6 PM ET
HuffPost
Trump’s Justice Department Charges James Comey For Third Time Oct 26, 7 PM ET
MSNBC
‘Fanatic obsession.’ Trump’s DOJ charges James Comey for a third time Oct 27, 7 AM ET
Raw Story
Comey sounds off on 'appalling abuse' after Trump DOJ files new charges: 'Not afraid' Oct 26, 7 PM ET
The Daily Kos
Trump sics his DOJ goons on James Comey—again Oct 27, 4 PM ET
The Guardian
Justice department charges ex-FBI director James Comey for third time Oct 26, 7 PM ET
The New Republic
Third Time’s the Charm? Trump DOJ Charges James Comey Again Oct 27, 10 AM ET
Vox
Why James Comey is getting charged again Oct 27, 7 PM ET
ABC News
DOJ seeking to charge Comey with conspiring to disclose national defense information Oct 26, 8 PM ET
Axios
James Comey charged again by the DOJ Oct 26, 6 PM ET
CBS News
DOJ takes steps to charge James Comey again Oct 26, 6 PM ET
CNBC
DOJ charges ex-FBI Director James Comey in new case Oct 27, 1 AM ET
CNN
Breaking News Justice Department charges former FBI Director James Comey for third time Oct 26, 6 PM ET
Mediaite
BREAKING: James Comey Hit With New Charges from Trump’s DOJ Oct 26, 6 PM ET
NBC News
BREAKING: Former FBI Director James Comey is charged for a third time by the Trump administration Oct 26, 6 PM ET
New York Times
Justice Dept. Brings More Charges Against Comey, Accusing Him of Leaks Oct 26, 7 PM ET
PBS NewsHour
Trump administration charges former FBI Director James Comey for the third time Oct 26, 7 PM ET- Star Tribune Trump administration attempting to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey again Oct 26, 6 PM ET
The Independent
Trump administration goes after James Comey for a third time, bringing fresh charges against former FBI Director Oct 26, 7 PM ET
The Washington Post
Justice Dept. charges James Comey, ex-FBI director, for a third time Oct 26, 6 PM ET
Time
Justice Department Files More Charges Against James Comey Oct 27, 11 AM ET
USA Today
Ex-FBI Director James Comey charged in third criminal case from Trump admin Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Yahoo News
Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a 3rd criminal case from the Trump administration Oct 26, 6 PM ET
BBC
Ex-FBI chief James Comey faces federal charges for third time Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Bloomberg
DOJ Accuses Ex-FBI Director Comey of Sharing Defense Secrets Oct 26, 7 PM ET- Financial Times US charges ex-FBI chief James Comey with leaking national defence information Oct 26, 6 PM ET
Forbes
James Comey Charged Again: DOJ Claims He Mishandled National Defense Info Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Reuters
Ex-FBI chief James Comey charged again by Trump administration's DOJ Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Scripps News
Crime Justice Department files new charges against former FBI Director James Comey Scripps News Group Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Straight Arrow News
DOJ charges former FBI Director James Comey with a federal crime for third time Oct 26, 6 PM ET
The Hill
Comey reacts to new charges: ‘Funny’ if it weren’t ‘appalling ... Oct 26, 8 PM ET
WSJ
Justice Department Charges James Comey Again Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Just the News
Trump DOJ charges James Comey with transmission of national defense information in third case Oct 26, 6 PM ET
National Review
The Trump DOJ’s Latest Absurd Charge Against Comey Oct 27, 12 PM ET
The Epoch Times
Comey Charged for Alleged Unauthorized Disclosure of National Security Information Oct 26, 9 PM ET
The Washington Times
Justice Department charges former FBI Directory James Comey in new case Oct 26, 8 PM ET
Washington Examiner
James Comey charged with leaking national defense information Oct 26, 6 PM ET
Breitbart
Ex-FBI Director James Comey Charged with Federal Crimes in New Case Marks Third Case filed by DOJ Against Him Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Fox News
DOJ seeks to prosecute Comey over alleged national defense disclosure Oct 26, 6 PM ET
IJR
Comey Faces Two New Federal Charges Oct 26, 7 PM ET
New York Post
Ex-FBI Director James Comey facing charges for third time by Trump admin Oct 26, 6 PM ET
Newsmax
DOJ Files New Espionage Act Case Against Comey Oct 27, 10 AM ET
OAN
DOJ charges fmr FBI Director James Comey for a third time over alleged sensitive material leak Oct 26, 7 PM ET
PJ Media
Comey Faces New Charges: Spare Me the Integrity Lecture Oct 26, 9 PM ET
Red State
DOJ Hits James Comey With New Espionage Act Charges Oct 26, 6 PM ET
The Blaze
Comey charged with violating the Espionage Act Oct 26, 9 PM ET
The Daily Caller
James Comey Indicted Over Alleged National Security Leak To Reporter Oct 26, 7 PM ET
The Daily Signal
DOJ Charges James Comey for Third Time, This Time Over Alleged Leak of National Defense Information Oct 26, 9 PM ET
The Daily Wire
James Comey Faces New Charges Over How Information Reached The New York Times Oct 26, 8 PM ET
The Federalist
Breaking News Alert *** Breaking *** James Comey Faces New Charges In Alleged New York Times Leak Breaking *** Oct 27, 10 AM ET
The Gateway Pundit
BREAKING: Comey Faces Indictment AGAIN – Rages at Trump – Charged with Disclosing Classified National Defense Information! (VIDEO) Oct 26, 7 PM ET
The Post Millennial
BREAKING: James Comey charged with transmitting national defense information Oct 26, 6 PM ET
The Western Journal
Breaking: Comey Charged for Reportedly Leaking National Security Secrets in 2016 Oct 26, 7 PM ET
Townhall
James Comey Indicted for Violation of the Espionage Act Oct 26, 8 PM ET
Crooks and Liars
'Back Again': James Comey Responds After 'Espionage' Charges From Trump's DOJ Oct 27, 10 AM ET
The Washington Sun
Justice Department Charges Comey for a Third Time Oct 26, 7 PM ET
📡 Broadcast
TV, radio, and the shows that talked about it
📺 On TV
- JUSTICE DEPT. CHARGES JAMES COMEY FOR A THIRD TIME CNN, 16 min
- DOJ CHARGES FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR THIRD TIME CNN, 11 min
- Former FBI director Comey faces new charges BBC News, 9 min
- COMEY: "I'M STILL INNOCENT. I'M STILL NOT AFRAID OF THESE PEOPLE" CNN, 8 min
- Comey maintains innocence amid new charges BBC News, 6 min
- TRUMP DOJ ACCUSES FORMER FBI DIRECTOR COMEY OF CRIMES AGAIN MSNOW, 5 min
- DOJ CHARGES FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR 3RD TIME CNN, 4 min
- Justice Dept. brings third attempt at charging Comey BBC News, 4 min
📻 On the radio
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 11:10 AM ET: story 5 of 8
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 10:06 AM ET: story 3 of 8
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 8:10 AM ET: story 2 of 7
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 7:32 AM ET: story 4 of 4
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 6:33 AM ET: story 3 of 4
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 6:09 AM ET: story 6 of 9
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 5:32 AM ET: story 3 of 4
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 5:10 AM ET: story 3 of 6
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 4:32 AM ET: the lead
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 3:10 AM ET: story 2 of 7
- ABC News Update, Oct 27, 2:32 AM ET: the lead
- NPR News Now, Oct 27, 2:10 AM ET: story 4 of 6
🧶 Retelling
what people online made of it
🧶 Retold online
- The Justice Department has charged former FBI Director James Comey for the third time for allegedly leaking national defense information. Oct 28: told by 11 people; told before on Oct 27
- Donald Trump is weaponizing the Justice Department to pursue vindictive and bogus criminal prosecutions against James Comey. Oct 28: told by 10 people
On Folklore: the latest in full, with their motifs and who is telling them.
🗣️ names in it: James Comey Justice Department FBI Donald Trump National Defence
🔎 Checking
what the fact-checkers looked into
🧐 No fact-checker has taken it on yet.
🧵 Persistence
the running story it belongs to
🌱 A story of its own so far: no saga yet.