You’re right. If a spy is a spy to Barr that word has clout.
If Comey claims some would say mistakes were made without intention and employees were possibly less than discreet about sharing of information, Barr could still say “You spied as part of a deliberate coup directed against Donald J. Trump.”
Oh, if you insist on putting it that way....
Well, Saint Comey....in order to investigate, you spied. We're not stupid.
And you told the President THREE TIMES...that he was NOT under investigation.
Sounds a bit like that Judas story.