Three Major Indictments Drop in DC
- Rex Ballard
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Federal prosecutors in the D.C. metro area delivered a triple blow today to high-level officials tied to the Biden administration and earlier controversies. Two cases involve career bureaucrats accused of betraying public trust—one at the Department of Veterans Affairs and one at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases—while the third targets former FBI Director James Comey. For Shasta County veterans still dealing with glitchy health records, families scarred by pandemic policies, and residents questioning federal integrity, these developments hit close to home.
1. John H. Windom – Former VA Electronic Health Record Modernization Executive
On March 27, 2026, a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted John H. Windom, 64, a Senior Executive Service official and former Executive Director of the VA’s Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization (OEHRM). He faces three felony counts: concealment of material facts, false statements, and falsification of a record or document.
Windom oversaw the troubled $16 billion effort to replace the VA’s outdated electronic health records system. Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2021—spanning the end of the Trump administration and into Biden’s—he accepted and sometimes demanded thousands of dollars in cash, casino chips, Louis Vuitton gift cards, and other lavish gifts from contractors and subcontractors working directly on the project he managed. He reportedly referred to the group as “the Power Group” and held regular meetings with them at a Maryland casino resort framed as a “mentorship program.” None of these gifts were disclosed to VA ethics officials, as required by law.
The VA EHR project has been plagued by delays, system crashes, and reports of veterans missing appointments or receiving incorrect care. Shasta County veterans relying on the Redding VA Clinic or larger facilities in Northern California have felt the real-world pain of these failures. U.S. Attorney for D.C. officials described the alleged conduct as a “betrayal of the public trust” that undermines confidence in institutions meant to serve those who sacrificed for our country. Windom could face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charge.
2. Dr. David M. Morens – Former Senior Advisor to Dr. Anthony Fauci
Unsealed today in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Dr. David M. Morens, 78, a longtime senior advisor to Dr. Anthony Fauci at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), faces multiple charges: conspiracy against the United States, destruction/alteration/falsification of records in federal investigations, concealment/removal/mutilation of records, and aiding and abetting.
Morens served in that role from 2006 through 2022, including the entire Biden administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors allege he and co-conspirators deliberately used personal email accounts and other tactics to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and congressional scrutiny into COVID-19 research grants. The effort reportedly focused on suppressing discussion of the lab-leak theory and shielding details about funding for high-risk research, including connections to the EcoHealth Alliance and Wuhan Institute of Virology. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called it “a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most.”
Morens allegedly received gratuities (including wine) in exchange for helping shape the “natural origins” narrative. He made his initial court appearance yesterday and faces up to 51 years if convicted on all counts. Fauci is referenced in the indictment documents but is not charged.
3. James Comey – Former FBI Director, Second Indictment
Also announced today: A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned a two-count indictment against James Comey, charging him with knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of, or inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, and transmitting that threat in interstate commerce via Instagram.
The charges stem from a May 15, 2025, Instagram post in which Comey shared a photo of seashells on a North Carolina beach arranged to spell “86 47.” Prosecutors argue that, in context, this was reasonably interpreted as a threat against President Trump (the 47th president), with “86” meaning “get rid of” or “eliminate.” Comey deleted the post and has called the charges “deeply flawed” and politically motivated.
Watch the DOJ press conference on the Comey indictment
Comey, who served as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017 (appointed by Obama, fired by Trump), has a long history of involvement in politically charged investigations, including the Russia probe and Clinton email case. This marks his second federal indictment in recent months (an earlier one was dismissed on procedural grounds).
These three cases—filed in federal courts serving the D.C. region—come as the Trump Justice Department ramps up scrutiny of Biden-era operations. Whether it’s veterans’ health records riddled with problems, pandemic policies that eroded public trust, or questions about threats to elected leaders, Shasta County residents have seen the costs firsthand: strained VA services, economic fallout from lockdowns, and lingering doubts about government transparency.
No one is above the law. Shasta Unfiltered will keep watching for updates on all three cases. Veterans, taxpayers, and anyone who values accountability deserve nothing less.
