Daniel Richman, a longtime friend and former adviser to ex-FBI Director James Comey, received a federal grand jury subpoena Monday as part of a new Justice Department investigation into whether Comey leaked classified information to the news media. Sources familiar with the matter say the subpoena targets the alleged disclosure of classified information to the New York Times.
The same conduct was investigated during President Donald Trump's first term. That case was closed when President Joe Biden took office. The current administration has revived it.
The subpoena's instrument matters. A federal grand jury subpoena is a compelled production; recipients cannot decline without facing contempt. Its issuance marks a formal escalation beyond preliminary review, placing the investigation in a phase where testimony and documents are gathered under oath. Richman, as the person sources describe as Comey's closest outside confidant, is the figure best positioned to address what Comey communicated, to whom, and through what channel. Grand jury proceedings are sealed by default, so the subpoena's existence became known through sources rather than public filings.
This investigation runs parallel to a separate, concurrent Justice Department probe focused on Comey's alleged threats against Trump. Sources confirm the two proceedings are distinct. Both are active simultaneously, directing federal legal resources at the same former official on separate tracks. The configuration is unusual.
No public filings were available as of the initial report. Neither Comey nor Richman had issued statements.