Podcast Summary: The Five – "Comey Charged"
Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Katie Pavlich, with Joey Jones, Jessica Charlock, Jesse Watters, and Greg Gutfeld
Podcast: FOX News Podcasts
Episode Overview
This episode confronts the headline-grabbing indictment of former FBI Director James Comey by a federal grand jury on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The panel unpacks the political and legal dimensions of the case, drawing parallels to recent years of escalating partisan legal battles. In addition, they discuss broader issues including the polarization around law enforcement, U.S. immigration enforcement, the search for a "Trump-like" Democratic candidate, and the shifting political climate as the 2026 midterm elections approach. The conversation blends serious debate with the show’s characteristic banter and sharp partisan tone.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Comey Indictment: Justice or Revenge?
- Overview: The indictment of former FBI Director James Comey for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding serves as the episode's main focus.
- Trump's Reaction: Donald Trump, featured via audio, frames the indictment as justified legal accountability, not revenge, while using combative rhetoric against his opponents (01:14).
- Trump: “It’s about justice, really. It's not revenge... They are sick, radical left people and they can't get away with it... Comey was one of the people. He wasn't the biggest, but he's a dirty cop. He lied.” (01:17)
- Comey's Response: Comey fires back on social media, positioning himself as a victim of political payback and affirming his innocence.
- Comey: “My family and I have known for years there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump... My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but... I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial and keep the faith.” (01:51)
Panel Reaction
- Historical Parallels: Greg Gutfeld references Watergate to stress the gravity of the moment and the abuse of law enforcement power, calling it a form of 'banana republic' weaponization (02:25).
- Cycle of Retribution: The panel debates whether this is unprecedented justice or simply political payback, noting that both parties have weaponized legal processes.
- Joey Jones: “He’s making good on his effort to turn the Department of Justice into a Department of vengeance.” (02:36)
- Jesse Watters: “The country will see very clearly that we have an authoritarian president.” (02:42)
"Old Testament" Justice
- The panel leans into the perspective that current events embody an "eye for an eye" or "Old Testament" style of retribution (03:02).
- Greg Gutfeld: “This is sort of Old Testament justice. What comes around goes around.” (03:02)
- Mutually Assured Destruction: Gutfeld suggests Republicans are reacting to Democratic action, warning, “When you come for us, you kind of got to finish the job, because now we're in power and we're paying. It’s payback. Revenge. I don't care what you call it.” (04:22)
2. Double Standards, Lawfare, and Political Precedents
- Double Standards: Katie Pavlich underlines the hypocrisy of Democrats supporting charges against Trump and his associates but objecting when the focus turns to Comey (05:16).
- Lawfare & Legal Precedence: Greg and Jesse stress that Democrats “invented lawfare” and that prosecuting Comey is a natural result of the standards set during Trump’s time in office.
- Jesse Watters: “They're just mad Trump's doing to them what they did to them. So I don't care what you call it... I'm enjoying it, because these people need to be punished.” (05:22)
- List of Prosecutions: The panel lists the arrests of various Trump associates as defining the “precedent” for prosecuting Comey (05:39).
Crime vs. Politics
- Jesse Watters defends the legal merits: “These things are actual crimes. When you lie to Congress, it’s a crime. When you obstruct an official investigation, that's a crime.” (06:37)
3. The Comey–McCabe Testimony Battle
Katie Pavlich introduces a key question about conflicting testimonies:
- Comey's Testimony on Leaks: Audio of Comey's back-and-forth over whether he authorized leaks to the press raises doubt (07:59–08:26).
- McCabe's Role: The panel predicts a legal and political struggle between Comey and Andrew McCabe, who may have to clarify or contradict earlier statements about Comey’s involvement (08:27).
Jessica Charlock's Legal Perspective:
- Jessica argues that investigations have already “vindicated” Comey, citing the special counsel’s report and suggesting a lack of real case, possibly selective prosecution (08:45–09:38).
- Jessica: “There was a special counsel... who said in his report the overwhelming weight of that evidence supports Comey’s version of the conversation.” (09:18)
- She claims the indictment is “completely detached from [the Russia] investigation” and asserts political motivation (09:38).
Democratic Defense: Jessica also suggests Comey indirectly helped Trump win in 2016 by resurrecting the Clinton email investigation close to Election Day (09:19).
4. The Broader Debate: Democracy, Precedent, and Weaponization
- Joey Jones: Reflects on how the FBI’s perceived partisan actions led to public distrust and helped energize Trump, highlighting that Democrats can no longer claim moral high ground on government overreach (11:22).
- Joey: “We know that Obama’s FBI and Justice Department tried... to steal this election for Hillary Clinton. The American people understand that.” (12:24)
- Points out the lack of prior precedent for indicting an FBI director, except for the actions during the 2016 election.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Greg Gutfeld: “They called. They said collusion was real and the laptop was fake. Facts about COVID were disinformation. Joe Biden was president. The biggest scandal of our career, and they still haven't paid for that. So you know what? We don't care.” (04:29)
- Jesse Watters: “They arrested his [Trump’s] campaign manager... his national security adviser. They arrested his trade advisor and put him in shackles. They arrested his cfo, they arrested his valet... So what are you supposed to do? They didn't think this was going to happen. They're stupid. They did.” (05:39)
Segment Timestamps
- Indictment news, Trump and Comey’s statements: 00:35–02:13
- Weaponization and “revenge” discussion: 02:25–05:16
- Precedents, hypocrisy, legal battles: 05:16–07:47
- Comey–McCabe testimony and legal analysis: 07:47–11:22
- Deep state, 2016 election claims, morals: 11:22–13:45
Other Key Segments
Trump at the Ryder Cup & Democratic Ridicule
- Trump’s cultural presence: The panel discusses Trump's appearance at the Ryder Cup, using sports as a metaphor for his broad appeal and Democrats’ struggles finding a matching candidate (14:42–18:44).
- Katie Pavlich: “He’s always put culture first. He came out of the culture and was always dabbling in politics.” (18:44)
- Democratic Party’s Struggles: Panel notes the party's historic low approval and inability to find a charismatic outsider (15:24–18:44).
- Gutfeld’s Analogy: Greg likens Democrats to playing golf with one club, reduced by their “addiction” to opposing Trump (21:20).
Violence at ICE Facilities & Political Rhetoric
- Shooting at an ICE facility: Panel denounces violence directed at ICE and criticizes Democrat rhetoric as fueling hostility (23:34–24:42).
- Debate over Law Enforcement: Discussion devolves into finger-pointing over which party is responsible for violence and for defending law enforcement (24:42–27:53).
- Katie Pavlich: “It’s incredible that ICE agents can be seen protecting illegal detainees from gunfire, and yet Democrats still continue to smear them.” (27:53)
Lighter Moments & Concluding Segments
On Stage Names
- Funny anecdotes about changing ethnic names in Hollywood; Greg jokes that his real last name was “Gutfeldberg” (33:57).
- Panel shares personal stories about their names and internet rumors (36:12–37:59).
Closing Tributes & Fun
- Jesse announces the death of Robert Barnett, celebrated attorney (38:38).
- Greg shares a mishap about wearing mismatched shoes (39:54).
- Jessica highlights a young chess prodigy; Joey celebrates a skateboarding world record; Katie mentions mountaineering achievements (41:04–41:59).
Conclusion
This episode exemplifies "The Five’s" signature blend of fiery partisan analysis and cultural commentary, with a strong focus on accountability, retribution, and political hypocrisy in the justice system. The panel frames the Comey indictment as both overdue justice and political payback tied to broader patterns of weaponized legal action between America’s two major parties. Underneath the heated debate and sharp quips lies a warning about escalating cycles of vengeance in U.S. politics.
Top Quotes (by Timestamp)
- Trump on Comey: “He [Comey] wasn't the biggest, but he's a dirty cop. He lied. He lied a lot.” (01:19)
- Comey’s Response: “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I'm innocent.” (01:53)
- Greg Gutfeld: “It’s payback. Revenge. I don't care what you call it. I don't care what the media calls it. They have lost the privilege of our attention.” (04:22)
- Joey Jones: “If a witness is shown to knowingly to have testified falsely...you can distrust that witness. He [Comey] kind of put it in his own words, didn’t he? ‘Small lies matter.’” (11:22)
- Jessica Charlock: “There was a special counsel...and he said the overwhelming weight of that evidence supports Comey’s version.” (09:18)
- Jesse Watters: “If someone declares war on you, what, are you going to just turn the other cheek?” (05:39)
For listeners who want an encapsulated yet detailed look at the recent Comey news and its political implications, this episode of The Five delivers spirited, sometimes combative debate alongside lighter, human moments.