Newly declassified FBI memos suggest former Director James Comey authorized classified leaks to reporters before the 2016 election, contradicting his sworn testimony to Congress. The documents, involving former FBI officials James Baker and James Rybicki, were uncovered by current Director Kash Patel and unsealed after Attorney General Pam Bondi’s intervention.

A memo shows that Baker admitted to leaking classified information to The New York Times in October 2016, believing he was authorized by Comey through Rybicki. This undermines Comey’s 2017 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, in which he denied authorizing or knowing of any leaks involving classified information.

Kash Patel called the revelations proof of FBI leadership misconduct and cover-ups. Bondi described the conduct as “abhorrent” and launched a legal strike force, suggesting potential charges such as deprivation of civil liberties under the guise of government authority. Patel is also pursuing a broader investigation into intelligence abuses from the Russia probe to the Mar-a-Lago raid.

Legal experts note that the usual five-year statute of limitations for federal crimes could be extended to 10 years in espionage-related cases or those involving ongoing conspiracies. Former Senate Judiciary lawyer Mike Davis argued the Trump DOJ has grounds to open a criminal probe into these leaks, citing national security harm.

Although prosecutors, including Special Counsel John Durham and the U.S. attorney in Washington, previously declined to file charges, the memos paint a fuller picture of internal media manipulation. Investigators tied the leaks to reports downplaying Trump-Russia ties and denying wiretap claims, raising fresh concerns about Comey’s actions.

The revelations align with past findings, including a 2019 report by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz criticizing Comey’s post-firing memo leaks. Bondi concluded that accountability is necessary for officials who mishandled classified material and betrayed the public trust.