For nearly a decade, conservatives have claimed that President Donald Trump and his allies are being targeted by federal law enforcement agencies. The media and so-called intelligence experts tried to convince us that Hunter Biden’s laptop was fake news and that the Steele Dossier was God’s honest truth. Why? Because of deep political prejudices against Trump. Rather than sweep these injustices under the rug, I want to set the record straight.
In September, former FBI Director James Comey, known for his abuse of power against the president, was charged with lying to Congress. I have been advocating for five years that Comey’s actions should be carefully investigated, including the possibility of criminal misconduct.
When analyzing Comey’s prosecution, it is important to look at the facts that led to this moment. In July 2016, Comey’s FBI opened Crossfire Hurricane, a counterintelligence operation focused on whether Trump colluded with Russia during his campaign. The origins of this theory largely stemmed from the Steele Dossier, prepared by Christopher Steele, who we now know was hired on behalf of the Clinton campaign.
HOW JAMES COMEY’S CHARGES COULD GO SOUTH IN THE DOJ
Within a month of the opening of Crossfire Hurricane, Comey attended a meeting at the White House where then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama, then-Vice President Joe Biden, and other senior officials about credible intelligence indicating that then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign may have been behind the story that Trump colluded with the Russians. A few weeks later, Comey also received a memo from the intelligence community supporting the idea that the Clinton campaign had signed off on an effort to link Trump to Russia.
Former FBI Director James Comey is drawn in a courtroom sketch during his arraignment on Oct. 8, 2025, in Virginia. (Federal Court, artist Dana Verkouteren)
Fast forward to January 2017: the Russian sub-source who provided the information for the Steele Dossier told the FBI that the information in the dossier was unreliable and nothing more than hearsay. Despite this interview, Comey and others continued to seek arrest warrants against Carter Page, an official adviser to the Trump campaign.
You would think that alarm bells would go off at the FBI if the man primarily responsible for drafting the document used to obtain a warrant in the FISA court had revoked the document’s authenticity. Apparently, this revelation in the bureau’s most high-profile investigation was buried in the bowels of the FBI and never reached Comey. I find that hard to believe.
TRUMP SAYS COMEY ‘PUT A CLOUD OVER THE ENTIRE NATION’ WITH CROSSFIRE HURRICANE, RESPONDS TO CHARGE
At the time, the FBI clearly had exculpatory information that exonerated Trump. Despite the fact that the DOJ and FBI have a duty to share exculpatory information and evidence that could undermine the reliability of a warrant with the FISA court, they have never done so.
In 2020, Comey testified at a hearing I convened as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that he was never informed of the dossier’s lack of credibility and that the intelligence reports showing the Clinton campaign was behind the Russia story “didn’t ring a bell.” I found it difficult then – as now – to believe that the former FBI director was telling the truth.
The other issue to consider is the prosecution of Trump by Biden’s Justice Department. Three days after announcing he would seek the White House in 2024, the Biden DOJ named Jack Smith special counsel.
Within nine months of launching his campaign, Trump was indicted on 91 criminal cases in four separate jurisdictions – two of which were initiated by Smith. I am convinced that if Trump had decided not to run for president in 2024, none of this would have happened. Many Americans agree with me that these charges were politically motivated and that Smith was not a fair arbiter of the law.
COMEY’S DECLARATION LEADS TO POLITICAL REACTIONS ACROSS THE NATION
It has long been DOJ policy not to charge political candidates before Election Day to avoid the appearance of impropriety. However, Smith overturned this policy. Within a month before the 2024 election, Smith was allowed to publicly release a letter containing his own version of the evidence against Trump, and two weeks before the election he was even allowed to release an unredacted version.
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Smith not only went after Trump, but also his allies in Congress. During their investigation, agents working for Smith obtained records of phone calls I – and eight of my colleagues – made between January 4 and 7, 2021. At the time, I was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. These actions are a blatant violation of the Constitution’s separation of powers and should concern every American, regardless of political background.
I have been advocating for five years that Comey’s actions should be carefully investigated, including the possibility of criminal misconduct.
The common theme between Comey and Smith is that in their pursuit of Trump, they cut corners and ignored procedures. Comey ignored evidence that exonerated Trump during Crossfire Hurricane, and Smith released damaging information about him just weeks before the 2024 election. These misleading investigations resulted in numerous indictments, flooded the media with negative stories about Trump, and wasted millions of taxpayer dollars.
COMEY indicted for alleged false testimony and obstruction of congressional proceedings
Fortunately, the American people saw through these examples of weaponization by the DOJ and FBI, but Comey, Smith and others still wreaked havoc on our country. Their misconduct undermined confidence in our institutions and threatened the Constitution’s fundamental principle of equal justice under the law.
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These abuses by Comey and Smith join countless other examples of Democratic administrations targeting conservatives, including the RNC, parents attending school board meetings, Americans attending church, and the America First Policy Institute, among others. When you hear Republicans say that the law has been weaponized against President Trump and his supporters, at least understand why we feel that way. To suggest otherwise defies reality and common sense.
Like my Republican colleagues and fellow Americans, I will refuse to be intimidated. We will continue to push for those responsible for excessive abuse of power in an effort to destroy all things Trump to be held accountable.
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