A federal grand jury has subpoenaed Daniel Richman, a longtime adviser to former FBI Director James Comey, as part of a renewed investigation into whether Comey improperly disclosed sensitive information to the media during former President Donald Trump's first term. The Justice Department is seeking to prosecute individuals perceived by Trump as having wronged him.
Richman was involved in a previous Justice Department investigation that examined whether Comey retained memos of his private conversations with Trump after his departure from the FBI in 2017 and subsequently leaked them to the press. The exact role Richman plays in the current probe remains unclear.
This marks the third investigation opened or revived by the department against Comey since Trump returned to office. The Justice Department previously declined to prosecute Comey for retaining the memos, though a 2019 inspector general's report found he had violated internal Justice Department policies.
Comey has faced other legal challenges in recent years. The Justice Department indicted him twice. A case accusing him of lying to Congress was dismissed by a judge. Another indictment stemmed from an Instagram photo Comey shared in May 2025, which featured seashells arranged to form the numbers '8647.' The number '86' can signify removal, but Comey, who was indicted on charges of making threats against the president, has denied understanding its meaning. He is scheduled for an arraignment in federal court next month.
The renewed investigation into Comey is expected to draw criticism from opponents of the Trump administration, who have previously accused the Justice Department of being weaponized.