James Comey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Comey
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Official portrait, c. 2013
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| 7th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
| In office September 4, 2013 – May 9, 2017 |
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| President | |
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Robert Mueller |
| Succeeded by | Christopher A. Wray |
| 31st United States Deputy Attorney General | |
| In office December 9, 2003 – August 15, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Larry Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Paul McNulty |
| United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York | |
| In office January 7, 2002 – December 15, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Mary Jo White |
| Succeeded by | David N. Kelley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Brien Comey Jr.
December 14, 1960 Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (2016–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (before 2016) |
| Spouse |
Patrice Failor
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 6, including Maurene |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
James Brien Comey Jr. (born December 14, 1960) is an American lawyer. He was the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He served from 2013 until May 2017.
Before leading the FBI, Comey worked in the government for many years. He was a top lawyer for the Southern District of New York. He also served as the United States Deputy Attorney General. This is the second-highest position in the U.S. Department of Justice.
In 2013, President Barack Obama chose Comey to be the FBI Director. In this role, he oversaw important investigations. One was about Hillary Clinton's emails. Another looked into possible Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
President Donald Trump fired Comey in May 2017. This decision caused a lot of discussion. Comey later shared notes he had taken about his meetings with President Trump. These notes became part of a larger investigation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Comey was born in Yonkers, New York, on December 14, 1960. His family moved to Allendale, New Jersey, in the 1970s. His father worked in real estate. His mother was a computer consultant.
Comey graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1982. He studied chemistry and religion. He then earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985.
Early Career
After law school, Comey worked as a law clerk for a judge in New York. He then joined a private law firm. From 1987 to 1993, he worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York. There, he helped prosecute cases, including those involving organized crime.
Working for the Government
From 1996 to 2001, Comey was a managing assistant U.S. Attorney in Virginia. He was involved in important cases, like the investigation into the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing. This was a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. During this time, he also taught law at the University of Richmond.
Bush Administration
U.S. Attorney
From 2002 to 2003, Comey was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. This is a very important legal position. He handled several high-profile cases. These included investigations into large-scale identity fraud and corporate fraud. For example, he led the case against John Rigas, who was involved in a huge corporate fraud at Adelphia Communications.
He also led the prosecution of Martha Stewart. She was charged with crimes related to selling company shares. Comey also worked on cases involving money laundering and foreign exchange scams.
Deputy Attorney General
Comey became the United States Deputy Attorney General in December 2003. He held this role until August 2005.
Important Decisions
While Deputy Attorney General, Comey made some key decisions. He appointed a special counsel to investigate the "Plame affair." This was a case about a government official's identity being revealed.
He also played a role in a debate about a government surveillance program. In 2004, Comey and other Justice Department officials questioned if parts of the program were legal. They even prepared to resign if their concerns were ignored. President George W. Bush later made changes to the program.
Comey also had concerns about "enhanced interrogation techniques." These were methods used to question suspects. He personally believed that some of these techniques, like waterboarding, were torture. He strongly disagreed with using them, even though they were considered legal at the time.
Private Sector Work
After leaving the Justice Department in 2005, Comey worked in the private sector. He became the general counsel for Lockheed Martin. This is a large company that makes defense products.
In 2010, he joined Bridgewater Associates, an investment firm. He later became a scholar at Columbia University Law School in 2013. He also served on the board of directors for HSBC Holdings, a financial company.
Speaking to Congress
In May 2007, Comey spoke to Congress. He talked about the importance of the Justice Department being fair and not political. He said that people working there must be seen as "the good guys." They should not be seen as favoring one political party.
FBI Director (2013–2017)
President Barack Obama nominated Comey to be the next FBI Director in June 2013. The Senate confirmed him in July 2013. He officially became FBI Director on September 4, 2013. He was dismissed by President Donald Trump on May 9, 2017.
Police and Communities
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In 2015, Comey gave speeches about the relationship between police and African-American communities. He acknowledged that law enforcement had sometimes been unfair to certain groups in the past. He also discussed the challenges police officers face in high-crime areas.
Comments on History
In April 2015, Comey spoke about the Holocaust. He emphasized the importance of learning from history. He later clarified some of his remarks to ensure they were understood correctly. He stated that the Polish state was not responsible for the horrors of the Nazis.
Data Breach
In June 2015, a large data breach affected the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This breach involved the records of millions of government workers. Comey called it a "treasure trove of information" for national security.
Hillary Clinton Email Investigation
The FBI investigated Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. In July 2016, Comey announced that the FBI would not recommend criminal charges. He called her actions "extremely careless."
Public Announcements
In October 2016, close to the presidential election, new emails related to the investigation were found. Comey decided to inform Congress about this new information. This decision was controversial. Some people believed it affected the election results.
In November 2016, Comey sent a second letter to Congress. He stated that the FBI's conclusions about the emails had not changed. Later investigations looked into Comey's actions during this time. An Inspector General's report in 2018 criticized his decisions. It said he made "a serious error in judgment" by publicly announcing details of the investigation.
Russian Election Interference Investigation
In 2016, the FBI began investigating possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia. Comey confirmed this investigation to Congress in March 2017. He also stated that he had no information to support claims that President Obama had wiretapped Trump's phones.
A few days before he was fired, Comey reportedly asked for more resources for the Russia investigation.
Dismissal from the FBI
President Donald Trump fired James Comey on May 9, 2017. Comey learned about his dismissal from TV news reports.
Reasons for Dismissal
The White House first said Comey was fired based on recommendations from top Justice Department officials. However, President Trump later stated that it was his decision. He said he was going to fire Comey regardless of recommendations. Trump also mentioned that the "Russia thing" was a factor.
Documenting Meetings
After his dismissal, it was reported that Comey had kept detailed notes of his meetings and phone calls with President Trump. Comey later explained that he took these notes because he was concerned about how his conversations might be described. He shared one of these memos with the press. He hoped it would lead to a special counsel being appointed to investigate.
In June 2017, Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. He said he believed he was fired because of the Russia investigation. He also said he hoped there were "tapes" of his conversations with Trump. Trump later stated he did not have any such recordings.
An Inspector General's report in 2019 found that Comey violated FBI policies by keeping and sharing some of his memos. However, it found no evidence that he released classified information. The Justice Department decided not to prosecute him.
In 2022, reports surfaced that Comey and another former FBI official had been selected for rare IRS audits. The odds of this happening by chance were very low. An Inspector General's report later found no wrongdoing in the audit process.
Writings
Comey has written several books. His first book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, was published in 2018. It discusses ethics, leadership, and his experiences in government. The book became a bestseller.
He also wrote Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust. In 2023, Comey published his first novel, a legal thriller called Central Park West. He has since published two more novels, Westport (2024) and FDR Drive (2025).
Post-Government Life
After leaving the FBI, Comey gave lectures at Howard University. He also returned to his alma mater, the College of William & Mary. There, he taught a course on ethical leadership.
In 2019, Comey wrote an article suggesting that Confederate statues in Richmond, Virginia, should be removed. He believed this would show that Virginia had changed. He has also written about the importance of inner strength in public service.
In 2020, a TV mini-series called The Comey Rule was made about his time as FBI director.
Political Affiliation
For most of his life, Comey was a registered Republican. He donated to Republican presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. In 2016, he stated he was no longer affiliated with any political party.
In 2018, Comey said the Republican Party "left me and many others." He urged voters to support Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections. He believed this was important for the country's values. He has since donated to and supported Democratic candidates.
Personal Life
James Comey is of Irish heritage. He was raised Roman Catholic but now belongs to the United Methodist Church. He is very tall, standing 6 feet 8 inches.
Comey met his wife, Patrice Failor, in college. They married in 1987. They have five children and had a son who died as an infant. They have also been foster parents. As of 2023, Comey and his wife live in McLean, Virginia.
Their oldest daughter, Maurene, is also a lawyer. She worked as an assistant U.S. attorney.
Comey was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006. He had surgery to remove a tumor and recovered.
See also
In Spanish: James Comey para niños
- Inspector General report on FBI and DOJ actions in the 2016 election
