A federal grand jury has issued a subpoena to Daniel Richman, a longtime friend and adviser to former FBI Director James Comey, as part of a new investigation into the alleged leak of classified information to The New York Times, according to a report from The Gateway Pundit.
The subpoena, issued Monday, marks a renewed effort by the Justice Department to examine how Comey’s private memos containing classified details were passed to the media in 2017—a chain of events that ultimately triggered the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Background: The 2017 Leak and Mueller’s Appointment
After President Donald Trump fired Comey in May 2017, Comey provided the contents of his so-called ‘Trump memos’ to Richman, a Columbia Law School professor. Richman then leaked the memos’ contents to The New York Times. The publication of that material helped set in motion the appointment of Mueller to lead the Russia investigation, a move that roiled Washington for years.
The new grand jury action suggests the DOJ is picking up a thread that was cut short when President Joe Biden took office in 2021, according to the report. The issue had been investigated during Trump’s first term but was dropped after Biden’s inauguration.
Subpoena Points to Fresh DOJ Interest
The Gateway Pundit reports that the subpoena targets Richman and indicates the Justice Department has launched a fresh investigation into the leak of classified information to The New York Times. This comes after a judge previously blocked federal prosecutors from accessing Richman’s electronics and other materials in related proceedings.
Richman had filed a lawsuit last year seeking to block the DOJ from accessing his files as the Trump administration moved to bring another indictment against Comey. Federal agents had seized materials from Richman several years earlier, and he asked a court to prevent prosecutors from reviewing them.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee, previously would not allow federal investigators to search Richman’s personal computer hard drive for additional classified information without a search warrant. She also ordered the DOJ to return all materials it had seized from Richman—a week after she blocked prosecutors from accessing key evidence in the criminal case against Comey.
Comey’s Legal Troubles
Last year, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted Comey on two counts: false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The charges stemmed from testimony Comey gave to Senate investigators in September 2020 about whether he authorized leaks to the media.
The indictment was later dismissed by a judge on Appointments Clause grounds. That dismissal has been a point of contention, with Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan filing a public response to Comey’s motion to dismiss the indictment for vindictive prosecution. Halligan’s filing included exhibit material—bombshell evidence, according to a tweet from conservative attorney Mike Davis—showing a handwritten note by Comey on FBI director letterhead that allegedly supports the case.
Emails and Allegations of Authorized Leaks
Newly released emails from November 2016 reportedly show Comey guiding Richman and authorizing leaks to the media, according to The Gateway Pundit. The report claims Comey was working with Richman to anonymously leak information about Hillary Clinton’s email scandal to The New York Times—a claim that, if true, would contradict Comey’s assertions that he is being maliciously prosecuted.
The Gateway Pundit describes Richman as Comey’s ‘media mole’ and says Comey knew Richman was talking to the press, backing up allegations made in then-Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan’s case against the former FBI director.
The new subpoena does not necessarily mean charges are imminent, but it signals that prosecutors are actively gathering evidence in a case that has been dormant for years. The investigation’s scope remains unclear, as does any potential timeline for further action.
Neither Richman nor Comey has publicly commented on the new subpoena, and the Justice Department has not issued a statement. The Gateway Pundit’s report is based on information about the grand jury’s action, which by its nature is secret, so details are limited.
This article is based on reporting by Cristina Laila of The Gateway Pundit. You can read more of her articles at the outlet’s website.
Source: www.thegatewaypundit.com — https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/breaking-comey-media-mole-daniel-richman-issued-new/