Federal prosecutors file third case against James Comey

Federal prosecutors have opened a third criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey. Court documents made public on Monday charge him with transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information.

The Justice Department filed a legal document called a criminal information on October 5. The filing was kept sealed until Monday when Comey's attorneys requested it be made public. Officials stated the document was necessary to stop a 10-year statute of limitations that was set to expire in early October.

The new charge relates to events in October 2016. It alleges Comey shared classified details with a reporter from The New York Times. This addition to the docket brings Comey's total federal charges to three. He previously faced charges for allegedly lying to Congress about media leaks and threatening President Donald Trump in a social media post. A judge dismissed the false statements case earlier this year, while the threats case is still pending.

Comey addressed the news in an Instagram video posted on Monday. He said, "They're back again" and noted he remains innocent. His legal team has already filed a motion to dismiss the new case. They argue the legal maneuver is improper.

Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey's lawyer, said in a statement that the filing purports to charge him with crimes he did not commit. A Justice Department spokesperson called the statute of limitations strategy a widely recognized practice in federal court. The department described the matter as an ongoing investigation and declined to offer further comment.