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James Comey Pleads Not Guilty in Congressional Lying Case
• Politics, Crime, James Comey, FBI director, not guilty, Congress, obstruction, trial, Donald Trump, indictment, court, Virginia, echosphere.news, James Comey Pleads Not Guilty in Congressional Lying Case
Former FBI director James Comey has entered a not guilty plea to charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The case, which has political undertones, is set to go to trial in January.
James Comey, the former director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, has pleaded not guilty to making false statements to lawmakers and obstructing a congressional proceeding.
Mr. Comey's lawyer entered the plea on his behalf in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday morning.
Patrick Fitzgerald, Comey's lawyer, said he would seek to have the case dismissed for several reasons, including the claim that his client, a critic of President Donald Trump, was being politically targeted.
Mr. Comey was indicted mere days after Trump urged his attorney general to take action against him.
A judge has set a trial date for January 5 after Mr. Comey's lawyers requested a speedy trial.
Both sides expect the trial to last only two to three days. Fitzgerald mentioned plans to file several motions to dismiss the case beforehand, alleging vindictiveness from the prosecution.
The case was first overseen by Erik Siebert, a Virginia prosecutor who resigned under pressure from Trump after failing to bring charges in a separate investigation. He was replaced by Lindsey Halligan.
Mr. Comey appeared in good spirits during the court proceedings, accompanied by his wife, Patrice Failor, and his daughter Maureen, a federal prosecutor recently let go by the Trump administration.
In court, Comey expressed understanding of the two charges against him, which each carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and fines reaching $200,000.
The allegations stem from Comey’s testimony during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2020, where he is said to have misled lawmakers regarding authorizations concerning information leaks related to ongoing investigations.
After the indictment, Comey declared his innocence in a video shared on Instagram, accusing Trump of acting like a “tyrant” and emphasizing his commitment to stand firm against what he perceives as political persecution.
Comey’s tenure as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017 ended in controversy, particularly surrounding his handling of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the fallout from his public disclosure regarding Hillary Clinton's email inquiry.