James Comey, the former director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, has pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements to lawmakers and obstructing a congressional proceeding. His plea was entered on his behalf by his lawyer in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.
His legal team plans to file several motions to dismiss the case, arguing that it is a result of vindictiveness and that a US attorney was unlawfully appointed to take over the prosecution. The trial has been scheduled for January 5th.
Comey appeared in court in good spirits, accompanied by his wife and daughter. He faces two charges, each carrying a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $200,000 fine.
Prosecutors allege that Comey lied to Congress in September 2020 regarding investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email server and Russian election interference. They claim he misled the Senate by denying he authorized the leak of information to news outlets. The charges also accuse him of corruptly attempting to influence and obstruct congressional proceedings through false statements.
Since leaving his role as FBI Director in 2017, Comey has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration. Following his indictment, Comey stated on Instagram that he is innocent and accused Trump of acting like a “tyrant,” emphasizing that he and his family “will not live on our knees.”
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