FBI Agent Ousted for Refusing to Stage Comey’s ‘Perp Walk’

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – An FBI agent was relieved of duty after refusing to arrange a ‘perp walk’ for former FBI director James Comey in front of media cameras, sources said on Friday. Comey, charged on September 25 with making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation, is facing significant legal challenges amid ongoing investigations drawn out by the Trump administration.

According to four individuals briefed on the situation, the request for the staged arrest came as tensions escalated in what is perceived as President Donald Trump‘s retaliation against political adversaries. An FBI spokeswoman declined to elaborate on personnel matters, leaving questions about the handling of the situation.

Details surrounding the timeline or method for bringing Comey into the FBI’s Washington field office remain unclear. Generally, defendants report to an FBI field location after receiving a summons to court, but no arrest warrant had been issued in this case.

Comey has maintained his innocence and is scheduled to appear in court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday. His attorney declined to comment further on the developments.

Trump dismissed Comey from his role in 2017, and since then, he has publicly criticized Comey’s conduct during the FBI’s investigation into connections between Russian actors and Trump’s 2016 election campaign. While Trump has long threatened legal action against his political rivals, this indictment of Comey marks the first successful grand jury action during his presidency.

The Department of Justice is also pursuing investigations into other figures critical of Trump, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and former national security advisor John Bolton.