Was James Comey indictment politically motivated? What Americans say in a poll

More Americans believe the charges against former FBI Director James Comey were politically motivated than believe they were “serious,” according to a new YouGov poll. At the same time, many are unsure whether or not Comey should be found guilty.

The survey comes after Comey, on Sept. 25, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of obstruction and making a false statement to Congress. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

The charges — filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — stem from Comey’s sworn testimony to Congress in 2020 on the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors say Comey lied about authorizing an FBI source to speak to the media about the investigation and obstructed Congress by making false statements intended to impede lawmakers’ probe into the FBI’s actions, according to a copy of the indictment obtained by The Washington Post.

In a video posted after the indictment, Comey said, “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump celebrated the decision, writing on Truth Social, “James ‘Dirty Cop’ Comey was a destroyer of lives. He knew exactly what he was saying, and that it was a very serious and far reaching lie for which a very big price must be paid!”

The indictment comes less than one week after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey — in addition to Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. “We can’t delay any longer,” he wrote on Truth Social.

The case has deepened concerns among Democrats that the Department of Justice is being leveraged as a political tool against Trump’s opponents. Meanwhile, some Republicans have pointed to what they describe as former President Joe Biden’s weaponization of the legal system.

Public opinion on Comey indictment

The poll — which sampled 2,468 U.S. adults on Sept. 25 — asked respondents if the indictment of Comey was “a serious attempt to find out what really happened” or if it was politically motivated.

A plurality, 33%, described it as politically motivated, while 22% labeled it as an earnest attempt to expose the truth. Fourteen percent said both of these were factors, and 30% said they were not sure.

Most Democrats and a plurality of independents — 56% and 33%, respectively — characterized the indictment as driven by politics. A 41% plurality of Republicans said it is a serious endeavor.

Comey oversaw the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election before he was fired by Trump in 2017. Afterward, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as a special counsel to continue the probe. Mueller’s final report found evidence of contact between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals, but it did not establish that criminal conduct occurred. Trump has long described the case as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.”

The poll — which has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points — also asked respondents whether Comey should be found guilty of the charges against him.

Twenty-eight percent said yes, while 25% said no. A plurality, 48%, said they were not sure.

Here, again, a significant partisan divide emerged.

A plurality of Republicans, 48%, said the former FBI chief should be found guilty, while a similar share of Democrats, 44%, said he should not be found guilty. A majority of independents, 55%, said they were not sure.

Additionally, the survey asked respondents for their broader opinions on Comey, resulting in more negative than positive reactions.

Thirty-six percent said they had an unfavorable view of him, while 22% telegraphed a favorable view. Meanwhile, 43% said they were not sure.

A slim majority of Republicans, 51%, said they held an unfavorable view. Thirty-six percent of Democrats had a positive view, and most independents, 52%, said they didn’t know.

This story was originally published September 26, 2025 at 1:17 PM with the headline "Was James Comey indictment politically motivated? What Americans say in a poll."