FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed rumors regarding the arrest of former FBI Director James Comey during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.
Comey is scheduled to be arraigned at 10 a.m. on Wednesday following his indictment by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia last month. He faces two charges: making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff.
Speculation about a “showy” arrest of Comey surfaced after Reuters reported that an FBI agent was dismissed for refusing to arrange a public “perp walk” for Comey after he was charged. Reuters stated, “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 Comey was federally charged last month, four people briefed on the matter said on Friday.”
CBS News also reported that the FBI considered using heavily armed agents for Comey’s arrest before his arraignment.
Kash Patel dismissed these reports, calling them distractions. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche referred to the rumors as “gossip.”
In their comments to Fox News Digital, both officials emphasized that standard procedures would be followed. Blanche stated, “We conduct arrests, the FBI conducts arrests at every courthouse in this country every single day of the year,” adding that rumors about special treatment for Comey were “gossip.” He continued, “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. It’s just noise.”
If convicted, Comey could face up to five years in prison. However, actual sentences for federal crimes are often less than the maximum allowed by law; sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
