The FBI is weighing an arrest and perp stroll for Comey — and suspended an agent for refusing to assist, sources say

The FBI is contemplating finishing up a “showy” arrest and perp stroll of the company’s now-indicted ex-Director James Comey, and has suspended an agent who refused to take part within the plan, three sources aware of the matter advised CBS Information.

Comey was charged final week with mendacity to Congress and obstructing a congressional continuing, an unprecedented transfer that got here after President Trump publicly pressured Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi to look into his longtime adversary. A grand jury voted to indict him on Sept. 25 and hours later, Comey was issued a summons directing him to look in federal courtroom in northern Virginia for an Oct. 9 arraignment. His legal professionals agreed to convey him to his arraignment, two sources stated.

However on the identical day as his indictment, FBI management mentioned hauling Comey in as an alternative of ready for the ex-FBI chief to report back to courtroom on his personal, a supply educated in regards to the conversions advised CBS Information.

The supply advised CBS Information that management requested for “massive, beefy” brokers to conduct an arrest of Comey “in full package,” together with Kevlar vests and exterior put on emblazoned with the FBI emblem. It was recommended that Chris Ray, a supervisory particular agent within the violent crimes division of the FBI’s Washington Discipline Workplace, would be capable to put collectively the sorts of brokers who match the invoice, the supply stated.

Ray refused to take part on this plan, believing it might be inappropriate and extremely uncommon for a white-collar defendant like Comey, in line with the supply. He was then suspended for insubordination.

The FBI is now actively working to place collectively a workforce to arrest Comey between now and his courtroom look on Thursday, however different FBI supervisors have additionally refused to cooperate, stated a supply educated in regards to the conversions and a legislation enforcement supply aware of the scenario. The expectation is that the FBI will finally discover someone.

CBS Information has reached out to the FBI for remark. Comey’s lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, declined to remark to CBS Information.

Reuters was first to report that an FBI agent was sidelined for refusing to assist with a perp stroll.

Regulation enforcement has lengthy opted to hold out public perp walks for some defendants. The tactic is controversial, with critics arguing it undermines defendants’ presumption of innocence. When Comey was the highest federal prosecutor in Manhattan throughout George W. Bush’s administration, the New York Civil Liberties Union penned a letter urging him to finish the observe, saying it “appears calculated merely to trigger public humiliation and embarrassment of the accused.”

Comey’s indictment marked an escalation within the virtually decade-long feud between Mr. Trump and the FBI director he fired within the opening months of his first time period. Mr. Trump has castigated Comey over the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference within the 2016 election, and Comey has referred to as Mr. Trump “morally unfit to be president.”

The fees accuse Comey of mendacity throughout a Senate listening to 5 years in the past by falsely stating that he hadn’t approved anyone on the FBI to function an nameless supply in media reviews about investigations into Hillary Clinton. The indictment doesn’t clarify who he allegedly approved to be an nameless supply, or what the leak entailed.

Comey has denied wrongdoing.

The fees adopted days of upheaval within the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace within the Jap District of Virginia, the place Comey was indicted. The lead prosecutor in that workplace, Erik Siebert, resigned from the job two weeks in the past, and Mr. Trump changed him along with his former private lawyer, Lindsey Halligan. Lower than every week later, Halligan requested a grand jury to indict Comey. 

Some workers within the workplace had circulated a memo that argued costs should not be introduced in opposition to Comey, a Justice Division supply aware of the matter advised CBS Information final week.

The Justice Division has additionally fired two high-level prosecutors within the Jap District of Virginia within the final two weeks, sources aware of the matter advised CBS Information.