Oct. 8 (UPI) — Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty in an Alexandria, Va., federal court Wednesday in a case pushed to prosecution by President Donald Trump.
Comey was indicted on one count each of making a false statement and obstruction, from his testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2020.
Comey spoke during the arraignment Wednesday, CBS News reported: When the judge asked if he understood the charges, he said, “I do, your honor, thank you very much.”
U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff set a trial date for Jan. 5.
Nathaniel Lemons, one of the federal prosecutors on the case, said it could involve classified information, which could bring complications. Nachmanoff replied that there are only two charges against Comey.
“This does not appear to me to be an overly complicated case,” Nachmanoff said. He also said he would “not slow this case down because the government does not promptly turn everything over.”
Comey’s defense team said it will file several motions in the coming days, NBC News reported. The team will file a motion challenging the charges as vindictive and selective prosecution, and another challenging the appointment of prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, which Comey’s attorney Patrick Fitzgerald called “unlawful.” The team will also file motions of “grand jury abuse” and “outrageous government conduct,” Fitzgerald said.
In the courtroom to support Comey were members of his family, including his wife and daughter.
The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but it was changed to Wednesday because other high-profile cases were happening in the same courthouse.
Trump has criticized Nachmanoff on Truth Social, calling him a “a crooked Joe Biden-appointed Judge.”
It was reported that the administration wanted Comey to participate in a “perp walk” before the arraignment, but some FBI supervisors argued against it, and one of them was suspended for it.
Trump pressured the Department of Justice to prosecute Comey, posting on Truth Social, “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!). OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!”
The president accused former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert of delaying action on the case to allow the statute of limitations to expire. Siebert resigned under pressure from the administration.
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed interim U.S. Attorney for Eastern Virginia Lindsey Halligan, a former insurance attorney, to prosecute the case.