Key facts
- James Comey charged with leaking national defense information.
- Alleged disclosure to The New York Times occurred in October 2016.
- This is the third time criminal charges have been brought against Comey.
- Comey denies wrongdoing, calling the charges an "appalling abuse."
Former FBI Director James Comey was charged Monday with leaking national defense information, marking the third time the Justice Department has filed criminal charges against him. The charges, filed in federal court in Washington D.C., provide few details about what Comey is alleged to have leaked. The government alleges that the former FBI director leaked the information in 2016 and conspired with an unnamed person to give the information to a national news outlet. Comey's lawyers stated in separate court papers that the case stemmed from an alleged disclosure of classified information to The New York Times in October 2016. Comey denied any wrongdoing in a video posted online, calling the charges an "appalling abuse."