Former FBI Director James Comey’s son-in-law resigned from his position with the Department of Justice (DOJ) just minutes after his father-in-law was indicted on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstruction.
Troy Edwards, serving as deputy chief of the DOJ’s National Security Section, submitted a one-sentence resignation letter to Lindsey Halligan, the newly appointed acting U.S. attorney in Virginia’s Eastern District and President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer.
Why It Matters
Comey is the first senior government official to face federal charges connected to the 2016 investigation of alleged Russian interference in the presidential election. Trump has repeatedly denounced the probe as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.”
Multiple government reviews found evidence that Moscow sought to help his campaign against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Thursday indictment charges Comey with making a false statement and obstruction, centering on testimony Trump’s former FBI chief gave in September 2020 before the Senate in which he said he had never authorized anyone to act as an anonymous source to reporters during the Russia investigation.
Prosecutors allege that Comey’s statement was false and obstructed congressional oversight, and they had until Tuesday to file charges or miss the five-year statute of limitations.
What To Know
Edwards submitted his resignation letter to Halligan, who replaced Erik Siebert in the Eastern District of Virginia. He simply wrote: “To uphold my oath to the Constitution and country, I hereby resign as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in the Department of Justice effective immediately.”
Edwards held a role that covered the Pentagon and CIA headquarters, handling high-profile espionage cases, according to the Associated Press (AP). He was among the prosecutors involved in the conviction of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes for orchestrating a violent plot to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
He was also present during Comey’s indictment, sitting in the front row of the courtroom gallery.
In a video post to Instagram, Comey denied the charges leveled against him, NBC News reported: “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either. My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system. I’m innocent, so let’s have a trial and keep the faith,” Comey said in the video.
Trump, meanwhile, celebrated the indictment, which followed his pressure on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring charges against a number of his political enemies, including Comey, as named in a Truth Social post.
The president said there was “JUSTICE IN AMERICA” now that “one of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to” was indicted.
What People Are Saying
Bondi, on X: “No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.”
Roger Stone, former adviser and longtime ally of Trump, on X: “I was indicted for lying under oath to Congress despite the fact that no misstatement I made was material nor hid any underlying crime. James Comey lied to cover up the greatest dirty trick in American history — the Russian Collusion Hoax. This is ironic justice.”
What Happens Next
Comey is expected to appear in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, at 10 a.m. October 9, according to CNN.
This article includes reporting by the AP.
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