🔗 Share this article

Ex- FBI head James Comey has entered an innocent plea to making false statements to lawmakers and impeding a legislative process.

The former director's attorney submitted the response acting as his counsel in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

The defense lawyer declared he would attempt to have the case thrown out for multiple factors including that his the accused, a critic of Donald Trump, was being selectively prosecuted.

Mr Comey was charged soon after Trump pressured his attorney general to take action against him.

Judicial Process

In court on mid-week, Comey's lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald advised the judge they aimed to present various legal requests to throw out the proceedings before a legal hearing, stating the government's case was retaliatory and that a US attorney was improperly assigned to assume control of the case.

The former director's legal matter was initially managed by the original attorney, who resigned under pressure from Donald Trump after his probe into another political adversary - NY AG Letitia James - did not succeed to initiate prosecution.

Courtroom Atmosphere

James Comey seemed in positive mood as he came into the legal venue on mid-week, speaking with his legal team and making jokes. He was joined by his spouse, his wife and child Maureen Comey, a US lawyer who the Trump administration dismissed.

After listening to the judge read his rights and the dual charges against him in court on mid-week, the defendant was asked if he grasped the accusations.

"Yes your honour. Thank you very much," he stated to the proceedings.

Previous Events

Mr Comey was the head of the FBI from 2013 to 2017 and was fired about a few months into Trump's first administration as commander-in-chief. At the period, he was directing an investigation into foreign election meddling and whether there were any links between Russia and the presidential campaign.

During his tenure, the director sparked a counter-response from liberal politicians when he stated just immediately preceding the 2016 presidential election that he was probing presidential nominee Clinton's use of a personal email system. Indictments against Clinton were not pursued, resulting in criticism from Republicans as well.

Current Allegations

Government attorneys allege the former director lied to US lawmakers during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 2020 when he was being interrogated about both the Clinton investigation as well as the Russia election probe. They claim he deceived the Senate by claiming he had not approved someone at the Federal Bureau of Investigation to release to journalistic entities data about the agency probes.

Legal representatives also charge the defendant of "wrongfully trying to affect, obstruct and impede" the panel by giving misleading testimony to it.

Individual Responses

Via social media the former director published to his Instagram after he was charged, he stated he was wrongly accused and charged Donald Trump of acting like a "tyrant".

"My family and I have been aware for a long time that there are costs to opposing Mr Trump," he said. "We will not live on our knees."

"I have done nothing wrong," he continued. "Thus initiate a trial."

These allegations against James Comey surfaced after Trump shared on social media demanding his attorney general, the attorney general, prosecute Mr Comey and others.