Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Alexandria, Virginia, to charges of obstruction and making false statements to Congress. The case, the first by the Justice Department against one of Donald Trump’s political opponents, was filed by newly appointed U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s former personal lawyer.
The indictment accuses Comey of lying during a 2020 Senate hearing when he denied authorizing anyone to anonymously leak details of FBI investigations, allegedly involving Hillary Clinton. Halligan, who lacks prosecutorial experience, presented the case despite internal DOJ concerns over insufficient evidence. Two outside prosecutors were later assigned.
More than 1,000 former Justice Department officials have condemned the prosecution as politically motivated, calling it “an unprecedented assault on the rule of law.” The charges follow Trump’s public criticism of DOJ inaction and his calls to jail Democratic officials, including Chicago’s mayor and Illinois’ governor.
Comey, who led the FBI’s 2016 Russia probe before being fired by Trump, maintains his innocence and has requested a trial.
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