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DOJ Slams Alleged DC Pipe Bomberโ€™s Bid To Claim Trump Pardon

Tyler Merbler, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Justice Department is forcefully pushing back against a striking legal claim from the man accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., on the eve of Jan. 6 โ€” that he was effectively pardoned by President Trump.

In a court filing Friday, prosecutors urged a federal judge to reject Brian Cole Jr.โ€™s attempt to have his charges thrown out, calling his argument flatly incompatible with the โ€œclear and unambiguous termsโ€ of Trumpโ€™s sweeping Jan. 6 clemency order.

Cole, who was arrested in December 2025 after years of investigation, is accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021 โ€” just hours before rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

The devices never detonated, but the FBI has said they were functional and viable, raising the stakes of a case that remained unsolved for nearly five years.

Earlier this year, Coleโ€™s lawyers made a bold move: They argued that his actions were โ€œinextricably and demonstrably tetheredโ€ to the events of Jan. 6 โ€” and therefore covered by Trumpโ€™s mass pardon of people tied to the attack.

They pointed to the broad language in Trumpโ€™s order, which applies to offenses โ€œrelated toโ€ events at or near the Capitol, and noted that Cole allegedly traveled to Washington for an election protest tied to the same political moment that fueled the riot.

But the Justice Department isnโ€™t buying it.

โ€œThe defendant ignores that the proclamation expressly limited relief to individuals who had been โ€˜convicted of,โ€™ or had a โ€˜pending indictmentโ€™ for, offenses related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6,โ€ U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro wrote.

That distinction, prosecutors argue, is decisive.

When Trumpโ€™s pardon took effect on Jan. 20, 2025, Cole had not yet been charged โ€” putting him outside the scope of the order entirely.

โ€œThe defendant belonged to neither category, and so the proclamation has no bearing on this case,โ€ Pirro wrote.

Cole was indicted weeks later, in January 2026, on charges including interstate transportation of explosives and malicious attempt to use them.

Prosecutors also made clear that even a broader reading of the pardon wouldnโ€™t help him.

โ€œEven if the Court somehow found, notwithstanding its text, that the proclamation could apply to this case,โ€ Pirro wrote, the Justice Departmentโ€™s interpretation should still prevail as a โ€œconsistent, reasonableโ€ reading by the agency tasked with enforcing it.

The clash sets up a high-stakes test of how far Trumpโ€™s Jan. 6 pardons can stretch โ€” and whether conduct that happened before the riot, but is arguably connected to it, can fall under their umbrella.

For now, the Justice Departmentโ€™s position is blunt: Not this case. Not this defendant.

READ NEXT: Congressmanโ€™s Sudden Death Upends Key Race

Woman Who Admitted Trump Death Threats To Secret Service Released By Judge

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A woman arrested last month for allegedly making death threats againstย President Donald Trumpย has been released by a federal judge who has clashed with the Trump administration several times this year.

Federal Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered the release of 50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones under electronic monitoring and instructed her to visit a psychiatrist in New York City once she obtains her personal belongings from a local police station.

Her release comes after U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya had ordered her held without bond, citing alarming conduct, including online posts proclaiming willingness to “disembowel” Trump and stage his arrest, and statements admitting she would kill him with a bladed weapon at “the compound.”

Jones took part in a “dignified arrest ceremony” for Trump at a protest in Washington, D.C., which circumnavigated the White House complex and was arrested following an investigation into her series of concerning Instagram and Facebook posts. 

In early August, Jones labeled Trump a terrorist, referred to his administration as a dictatorship, and stated that Trump had caused extreme and unnecessary loss of life in relation to the coronavirus

“I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present,” an Aug. 6 post directed at the FBI states.

The next day, Jones voluntarily agreed to an interview with the Secret Service, during which she called Trump a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” authorities said. 

She said that if she had the opportunity, she would kill Trump at “the compound” if she had to and that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president.

Following the protest in Washington, D.C on Aug. 16, Jones was interviewed again by the Secret Service, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards Trump during her interview the previous day. 

She was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap, or seriously hurt the president and sending messages across state lines that contained threats to kidnap or harm someone.

However, Jonesโ€™s lawyers argued their client was unarmed and had no real desire to follow through with the threats, appealed Upadhyayaโ€™s detention decision, and Boasberg overturned Upadhyayaโ€™s detention order.

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C.,ย Jeanine Pirro, whose office pushed for the indictment, blasted the juryโ€™s refusal on Tuesday.

“A Washington D.C. grand jury refused to indict someone who threatened to kill the President of the United States. Her intent was clear, traveling through five states to do so,” Pirro told Fox News in an exclusive statement. 

“She even confirmed the same to the U.S. Secret Service. This is the essence of a politicized jury. The system here is broken on many levels. Instead of the outrage that should be engendered by a specific threat to kill the president, the grand jury in D.C. refuses to even let the judicial process begin. Justice should not depend on politics,” Pirro added.

Judge Boasbergโ€™s Background
Judge Boasberg, a Barack Obama appointee, has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration. In March, he issued a restraining order halting deportations of Venezuelans under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, ordering planes to return to U.S. soil and demanding an investigation into compliance. He later threatened contempt proceedings, prompting appellate review and momentum that led to Supreme Court rulings affirming dueโ€‘process requirements. Trump publicly labeled Boasberg a โ€œRadical Left Lunaticโ€ and sought his impeachment. Additionally, Trumpโ€‘aligned officials, including AG Pam Bondi, filed a complaint over Boasbergโ€™s remarks warning of a constitutional crisis and criticizing the administrationโ€”remarks Bondi argued had no factual basis and undermined judicial impartiality. (RELATED: DOJ Files Complaint Against Judge Boasberg Over Anti-Trump Comments, Deportation Case Actions)

Recent Assassination Attempts Targeting Donald Trump

1. Butler, Pennsylvania Rally โ€” July 13, 2024

  • What happened: Former President Trump was addressed at a campaign rally near Butler, PA, when 20โ€‘yearโ€‘old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop with an ARโ€‘15โ€‘style rifle. Trump was grazed in the upper right ear; one attendee, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed, and two others critically injured. Secret Service counterโ€‘snipers neutralized Crooks seconds after he began firing.

Aftermath & investigations: A House task force released a report by December 2024. A Government Accountability Office audit (July 2025) found that the Secret Service failed to share vital threat intelligence internally, and suffered planning and communication breakdowns. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley criticized entrenched mismanagement and cited funding under a recent bill to help rebuild the agency. Meanwhile, six Secret Service agents received suspensionsโ€”the longest up to 42 daysโ€”for their roles in the security failure. The agency has since overhauled protocols, including deploying drones and increasing law enforcement coordination.

2. West Palm Beach, Florida Golf Course โ€” September 15, 2024

  • What happened: While golfing at his Trump International Golf Club, Trump was threatened by 59-yearโ€‘old Ryan Wesley Routh. The suspect was seen aiming a rifle from shrubbery. A Secret Service agent intervened, no shots were fired at Trump, and Routh fled but was later detained.
  • Legal proceedings: Routh faces federal charges including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. He remains in custody, and a federal trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025.

READ NEXT: Trump Calls for RICO as the Answer to Sanctuary City Chaos

Mike Lindell Appears To Be Served Lawsuit During Live Interview

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Mike Lindell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and a prominent Trump ally, appeared to be served with legal papers during a live interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, in an interruption that quickly drew attention online.

Lindell was speaking on camera with Michael Casey, a correspondent for Oโ€™Keefe Media Group, at the event in Grapevine, Texas, when a woman stepped into frame holding documents. In footage shared by Casey, the woman approached Lindell mid-interview and said: โ€œHi, sorry to interrupt. I have this for you. Youโ€™ve been served.โ€

Casey described the woman as a โ€œderanged leftist,โ€ though her identity and the nature of the documents have not been independently confirmed.

Lindell attempted to continue the interview, repeatedly asking the woman to move out of the shot. โ€œWeโ€™re on TV here, please. Weโ€™re on TV, please. OK, weโ€™re on TV,โ€ he said, gesturing for her to step aside.

Watch:

As Casey pressed the woman about what she was delivering, Lindell added: โ€œIโ€™m not accepting it.โ€ The woman insisted the papers had been served regardless. Lindell briefly took the documents before tossing them off camera behind him and continuing the interview.

It remains unclear whether the incident involved a legitimate legal filing or was a staged disruption. No details about the alleged lawsuit were immediately available.

Lindell has been a close ally of former President Donald Trump and one of his most vocal supporters since the 2020 election. He has repeatedly promoted Trumpโ€™s false claims that the election was stolen, using his platform, LindellTV, to amplify those assertions. Trump has publicly praised Lindell in the past, often highlighting his loyalty and willingness to fund efforts challenging the election results.

That alignment has also placed Lindell at the center of multiple legal battles. He has faced defamation lawsuits from voting technology companies over his election claims, and earlier this week, he lost a bid to overturn a related defamation verdict.

Former FBI Director Expected To Turn Himself In Today

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By Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Director Provides Update on Orlando Shootings Investigation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49440123

Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to turn himself in today in the Eastern District of Virginia, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to ABC News.

The arrest warrant was issued by a grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina, though it remains unclear whether the Justice Department sought the warrant as part of the initial indictment.

The new charges stem from a controversial social media post Comey shared last yearโ€”one that President Donald Trump and members of his administration have claimed amounted to a threat against the president.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to display the numbers โ€œ86 47,โ€ alongside the caption: โ€œCool shell formation on my beach walk.โ€

The post quickly drew backlash from Trump allies, who pointed to the slang meaning of โ€œ86โ€ as โ€œto nixโ€ or โ€œget rid of,โ€ arguing it could be interpreted as a veiled threat against Trump, the 47th president.

According to the three-page indictment, Comey faces one count of making threats against the president and successors, and one count of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.

Prosecutors argue the post rises to the level of a criminal threat, writing that it constitutes a message that any โ€œreasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.โ€

Legal experts note prosecutors may face a significant hurdle in court. The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that proving a โ€œtrue threatโ€ requires demonstrating that the individual understood their statement would be perceived as threatening. The widespread use of the phrase โ€œ86 47โ€ among critics of the Trump administration could complicate that argument and raise broader First Amendment questions.

The latest case comes after a separate indictment last year in which Comey was accused of lying to Congress and obstruction related to his 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That case was ultimately dismissed after a judge found issues with the legitimacy of the prosecutor who brought the charges.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on suggestions that the case was politically driven.

โ€œOf course not, absolutely, positively not,โ€ Blanche said on โ€œCBS Morningsโ€ when asked whether President Trump directed him to pursue charges against Comey. โ€œThis is something that has been investigated for nearly a year now, and the results of that investigation is that a grand jury returned an indictment.โ€

Comey is expected to appear in federal court following his surrender.

Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Arrested

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Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn was briefly arrested this week in Cape Coral, Florida โ€” yet the setback may not slow what many believe is a mounting effort to reenter national politics.

Authorities took Cawthorn into custody on a warrant stemming from an August 19 citation for driving without a valid license in Naples. He was released shortly thereafter on a $2,000 bond and is expected to appear in court to resolve the matter. Supporters have dismissed the incident as a minor technicality, unlikely to derail his ambitions.


From Conservative Trailblazer to Political Lightning Rod

Cawthorn burst onto the national stage in 2020 as one of the youngest Republicans ever elected to Congress, winning his North Carolina seat at just 25 years old. He quickly became a symbol of youthful conservative energy and unapologetic defiance of the Washington establishment.

But his meteoric rise ran into turbulence during his lone term. In early 2022, he alleged that some D.C. elites had invited him to a cocaine-fueled โ€œorgy,โ€ a claim that drew sharp criticism from GOP leadership. Weeks later, police body camera footage showed him being pulled over while driving a car he mistakenly believed he owned, and he was also cited for bringing a firearm through airport security โ€” his second such incident in less than a year.

Republican leadership, once supportive, gradually distanced themselves. The controversies overshadowed his legislative work and contributed to his loss in the 2022 Republican primary.


Florida Could Offer a Second Act

Now, Cawthorn may be plotting a political revival โ€” this time from Floridaโ€™s 19th Congressional District, where Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is expected to step down to run for governor. Axios recently reported that Cawthorn has been exploring a run to fill the soon-to-be-open seat, potentially offering him a clean slate and new political base in one of the countryโ€™s most Republican-leaning regions.

If he enters the race, Cawthorn could return to Washington older, more seasoned, and still armed with the anti-establishment instincts that made him a grassroots favorite. For many conservatives, his resilience โ€” and willingness to challenge entrenched power โ€” could be the very qualities the GOP needs in its next generation of leadership. for the second time in nine months.

GOP Split Emerges Over Potential Maxwell Pardon In Epstein Investigation

A Divided Republican Conference

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are facing an internal divide over a sensitive and politically risky question: whether Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, should be considered for a presidential pardon in exchange for cooperation with investigators.

The discussion has largely taken place behind closed doors, but it reflects a broader tension between uncovering new information and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) acknowledged the split, noting that some Republicans believe Maxwell could provide valuable testimony about Epsteinโ€™s network if offered clemency. Still, Comer made clear he is not among them.

  • He warned that a pardon โ€œlooks badโ€ politically and ethically
  • He emphasized Maxwellโ€™s central role in the underlying crimes
  • He argued that granting leniency could undermine trust in the investigation

Comer summed up his position bluntly, describing Maxwell as one of the most culpable figures in the case.

Democrats Firmly Opposed

Democrats on the committee are unified in rejecting any potential deal.

Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) strongly criticized the idea, arguing that offering clemency to Maxwell would be offensive to victims and damaging to the integrity of the investigation.

Key concerns raised by Democrats include:

  • The impact on survivors of Epsteinโ€™s abuse
  • The credibility of any testimony obtained through a pardon
  • The risk of public perception shifting toward a โ€œcover-upโ€

Garcia warned that even considering such an arrangement could erode confidence in the process and send the wrong signal about accountability.

Maxwellโ€™s Leverage and Conditions

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epsteinโ€™s trafficking operation. So far, she has declined to cooperate with congressional investigators under existing conditions.

Her legal team, however, has signaled a willingness to engage if circumstances change.

According to her attorney:

  • Maxwell would be willing to testify โ€œfully and honestlyโ€
  • Any cooperation would be contingent on clemency
  • She is positioned as a key source of information about Epsteinโ€™s network

Her attorney has also claimed that Maxwell could shed light on the involvement, or lack thereof, of high-profile figures, including former presidents. Those assertions have not eased skepticism among lawmakers.

The Political and Legal Stakes

President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of granting clemency, leaving the issue open and politically charged.

The debate highlights a difficult tradeoff:

  • Potential benefit: New details about Epsteinโ€™s network and associates
  • Potential cost: Perceived erosion of justice and accountability

For many lawmakers, the question is not just what Maxwell might reveal, but whether the price of that information is too high.

Why This Matters

At its core, the disagreement reflects a broader challenge facing investigators and policymakers:

  • How far should the government go to obtain critical information?
  • Can justice and transparency be balanced in a case with this level of public scrutiny?

There is no clear consensus, and the path forward remains uncertain.

What are your thoughts? Should a pardon be considered if it leads to new information about Epsteinโ€™s network? Share your perspective in the comments below.

READ NEXT: Case Against Leading Trump Opponent Abruptly Dropped

Attorney General Confirms Plans To Release ‘Some’ Epstein Files As Early As Today

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By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

Attorney Generalย Pam Bondiย told Fox News hostย Jesse Wattersย she will release files related to deceased child sexual predatorย Jeffrey Epsteinย on Thursday.

On Wednesdayโ€™s Jesse Watters Primetime, Bondi committed to letting the public in on exactly what she has her hands on โ€“ as long as no victim information is compromised.

Wattersย asked, โ€œWhen can we see them, and whatโ€™s taking so long to release them?โ€

โ€œJesse, there are well over โ€“ this will make you sick โ€“ 200 victims,โ€ Bondi responded. โ€œSo we we โ€“ well over. Over 250, actually. So we have to make sure that their identity is protected and their personal information. But other than that, I think tomorrow โ€“ the personal information of victims. Other than that, I think tomorrow. Just, breaking news right now, youโ€™re going to see some Epstein information being released by my office.โ€

Watters noted Epstein had his homes โ€œwiredโ€ and asked if the public could expect audio or video recordings along with flight logs. Bondi replied:

โ€œWhat youโ€™re going to see, hopefully tomorrow, is a lot of flight logs, a lot of names, a lot of information,โ€ Bondi responded. โ€œItโ€™s pretty sick what that man did โ€“ along with his co-defendant.โ€

Epsteinโ€™s โ€œco-defendantโ€ is Ghislaine Maxwell, who wasย sentenced to 20 yearsย in prison for her role trafficking underage girls for Epstein to assault.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while in federal custody awaiting trial for another sex-trafficking case. It has been alleged that numerous celebrities and politicians โ€” including former President Bill Clinton and Britainโ€™s Prince Andrew โ€” were among those who attended his parties.

On Monday, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R) sent a letter to newly sworn-in FBI Director Kash Patel calling for the complete flight logs from Epsteinโ€™s private jet and helicopter, records belonging to Epsteinโ€™s partner Ghislaine Maxwell, and video footage from Epsteinโ€™s Palm Beach, Florida residence.

The Tennessee Republican has long advocated for the release ofย the Epstein documents, arguing that making the full set of records public will expose the complex network behind global human and sex trafficking.

“This will give us insight into this web of human and sex traffickers that has just spread like wildfire across the globe, and it will help us to begin to get accountability for the victims of this horrendous trade,” she said.

Read:

During his campaign,ย President Donald Trumpย promised the declassification of the files. The Houseโ€™s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets is scheduled to hold its first public hearing on March 26. ย 

‘Death To Trump’ Man Arrested After Issuing Mid-Flight Bomb Threat

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Image via Pixabay

A man was arrested in Scotland after threatening to blow up an airplane with a bomb while denouncing America and President Donald Trump during hisย visitย to Scotland over the weekend for golf and trade negotiations.

Aย videoย was posted to X showing the suspect, who is reportedly a 41-year-old Indian national residing in the United Kingdom, standing up in a planeโ€™s aisle, shouting, โ€œI am going to bomb the plane! Death to America! Death to Trump! Allahu akbar!โ€

As the man shouts, a passenger approaches him and tackles him to the floor. Another video reported by The Sun shows the man being interrogated while pinned to the floor, stating that he โ€œ[wanted] to send a message to Trump,โ€ who he knew was in Scotland.

EasyJet EZY609, which was flying from London Luton Airport to Glasgow, Scotland, was forced to make an emergency landing at a separate runway in Glasgow to account for the manโ€™s threats, at which point the man was arrested.

Passengers on the plane recalled the stressful event in statements to The Sun.

One passenger said, โ€œIโ€™ve never seen that before. The airline staff, they were all girls, they were really shaken up by it, but they were super professional.โ€

The Scotland police released a statement saying, โ€œA 41-year-old man was arrested in connection and further enquiries are ongoing. โ€ฆ At this time we believe the incident was contained and that nobody else was involved.โ€

The statement mentioned that the videos available were being โ€œassessed by counter terrorism officers.โ€

In a statement released by easyJet, a spokesperson confirmed that โ€œFlight EZY609 from Luton to Glasgow this morning was met by police on arrival in Glasgow, where they boarded the aircraft and removed a passenger due to their behaviour onboard. โ€ฆ easyJetโ€™s crew are trained to assess all situations and act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.โ€

The witness said that the man โ€œliterally came out of the toilet shouting โ€˜Allahu Akbarโ€™ with his hands above his head,โ€ noting that he did not see a cause of the outburst.

Report: Comey Skipping First Court Appearance In Trump Threat Case

Former FBI Director James Comey will no longer have to make an upcoming court appearance in North Carolina after a federal judge agreed to cancel the hearing tied to charges that he threatened President Donald Trump through a controversial social media post.

U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan conditionally approved Comeyโ€™s request to waive the appearance after his attorneys argued he had already made an initial court appearance last week in Alexandria, Virginia.

Comey surrendered to authorities during that appearance, was formally read his rights, and did not enter a plea.

His legal team argued that federal criminal procedure rules provide โ€œfor an initial appearance in the singular,โ€ making another hearing unnecessary. Prosecutors with the Department of Justice reportedly supported the request.

Judge Flanagan ruled that the North Carolina hearing would be canceled if Comey filed the required waiver by Friday. Otherwise, the hearing would proceed as scheduled.

The former FBI chief is facing two federal charges tied to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read โ€œ86 47โ€ โ€” a message prosecutors say amounted to a threat against Trumpโ€™s life.

According to prosecutors, the phrase โ€œ86โ€ is widely understood as slang for eliminating or getting rid of someone, while โ€œ47โ€ refers to Trump, the 47th president.

The charging document alleges:

โ€œOn or about May 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the defendant, JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR, did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out โ€˜86 47,โ€™ which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.โ€

Comey has fiercely denied the accusations and claimed the prosecution is politically motivated.

When the image was first posted, Comey later said he believed the shells represented a โ€œpolitical messageโ€ and claimed he did not realize the numbers could be interpreted as encouraging violence. He eventually deleted the post.

The longtime Trump rival responded to the indictment in a video statement, insisting he has done nothing wrong.

โ€œBut nothing has changed with me. Iโ€™m still innocent, Iโ€™m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so letโ€™s go,โ€ Comey said.

โ€œBut itโ€™s really important that all of us remember that this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be.โ€

The charges โ€” threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce โ€” each carry a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Prosecutors would need to prove Comey โ€œknowingly and willfullyโ€ threatened to โ€œtake the life ofโ€ Trump.

The case marks yet another chapter in the bitter feud between Trump and the former FBI director, whom Trump fired in 2017 during the early stages of the Russia investigation led by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

It is also the second criminal case Comey has faced since Trump returned to the White House.

Comey was previously charged with false statements and obstruction tied to his 2020 congressional testimony about FBI leaks. That case was ultimately dismissed after a court found the prosecutorโ€™s appointment unlawful, though the Trump administration has appealed the decision.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls On Trump To Pardon George Santos

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Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) is coming to the defense of disgraced former Congressman George Santos, who is currently serving out his prison sentence.

On Monday, Greene called on President Trump to issue a pardon to Santos, who began his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey last month after being sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft. (RELATED: Disgraced Former Rep. George Santos Gets Over 7 Years In Prison)

In a letter to President Trumpโ€™s U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Greene wrote:

I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.

As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.

While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for oneโ€™s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.

Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.

In May, Santos teared up on Piers Morgan Uncensored and pleaded with Trump for a pardon, โ€œcommutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,โ€ after being sentenced.

The former congressman also requested protective custody after expressing fear of being โ€œbrutalizedโ€ in prison.

โ€œIโ€™m not fearful of dying in there, Iโ€™m more fearful of being severely brutalized and harmed, if you get my drift,โ€ he said.

Watch:

Last month, during an interview with Tucker Carlson, Santos also expressed concern that his time in prison could be a โ€œdeath sentence.โ€

โ€œTucker, can I be honest with you?โ€ Santos asked Carlson, who called Santosโ€™s prison sentence unfair compared to lesser sentences handed to violent criminals.

โ€œI hope you will,โ€ Carlson responded.

โ€œI donโ€™t know that I survive it. Theyโ€™re putting me in a violent prison. Itโ€™s a medium facility. Iโ€™m not a street-wise guy. I donโ€™t know how to fight. Iโ€™m a gay man. Weโ€“ statistics tell you what happens to gay men in prison. I didnโ€™t know I survived this. I, Iโ€™m being honest. I mean, I canโ€™t change that,โ€ Santos said, later saying his only hope is prayer and a longshot pardon from President Donald Trump.

When Carlson pressed Santos on whether he was being serious, Santos insisted he is not โ€œexaggeratingโ€ his fear, saying heโ€™s lived a โ€œshelteredโ€ life that in no way prepared him for prison.

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