Third attempt to prosecute James Comey: DOJ moves to charge ex-FBI chief over alleged leaks

Former FBI director James Comey. The US Justice Department has made a third attempt to bring criminal charges against former FBI director James Comey, this time over allegations that he disclosed national defence information to an unauthorised person in 2016, according to court records.Prosecutors have filed a criminal information accusing Comey of two counts of violating the Espionage Act by allegedly transmitting national defence information to someone not authorised to receive it. The filing, made under seal earlier this month, was unsealed on Monday at the request of Comey's legal team.The latest move does not amount to a grand jury indictment or a criminal complaint. Instead, prosecutors used criminal information, a formal charging document filed directly by the government, to preserve the case before the statute of limitations expires. The Justice Department has said the procedure is recognised in federal courts.The allegations stem from a 2016 New York Times report about Yahoo's role in US email surveillance. According to court filings, the department alleges that Comey directed staff to speak with a Times reporter about the accuracy of an earlier Reuters report.Comey's lawy...