In a rather telling interview with Fox News on Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sought to dispel the swirling rumors surrounding the impending arraignment of former FBI Director James Comey.
Comey is set to face the music tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.
Last month, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia handed down an indictment against Comey on two counts: making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding.
This case has landed on the desk of US District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, who was appointed by Biden—an interesting detail to keep in mind.
Hushed whispers suggested that the FBI might stage a “showy” arrest of Comey, igniting concerns about potential theatrics in what should be a straightforward legal process.
These rumors erupted after Reuters reported that an FBI agent was dismissed for refusing to orchestrate a “perp walk”—a spectacle where the accused is paraded in front of cameras—of Comey following his federal charges.
According to Reuters: “An FBI agent was relieved of duty for declining to arrange a ‘perp walk’ of the bureau’s former director, James Comey, in front of news media cameras after he was federally charged last month, four people briefed on the matter said on Friday.”
Further insights from CBS News claimed that the FBI was even contemplating arresting Comey with “large, beefy” agents in Kevlar vests before his arraignment, adding a cinematic flair to the legal proceedings.
However, Kash Patel dismissed these allegations dismissively, branding them as mere distractions.
Todd Blanche joined in, labeling the entire situation as “gossip.”
Fox News reported:
High-ranking Department of Justice officials addressed speculation on Tuesday regarding a sensational arrest and media spectacle surrounding James Comey, articulating their perspective one day before his scheduled court appearance.
During a sit-down interview at the FBI Chicago Field Office, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel characterized the media’s frenzy over a potential camera-ready Comey arrest—popularly referred to as a perp walk—as mere distractions.
“We conduct arrests, the FBI conducts arrests at every courthouse in this country every single day of the year,” Blanche asserted, dismissing the drama surrounding Comey’s situation as “gossip.”
“Mr. Comey has been directed to appear, and I expect that he will. But the noise from MSNBC and from retired agents or unnamed anonymous sources about perp walks is just that,” Blanche insisted. “It’s just noise.”
If convicted, Comey could face up to five years behind bars. However, in typical federal cases, actual sentences often fall short of those maximums. The ultimate decision on sentencing lies in the hands of the federal district court judge, who will weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors, a nuance that might seem mundane but is crucial in understanding the legal landscape.
