Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to federal charges brought against him after public demands for prosecution from President Donald Trump.
Comey was indicted by a Virginia grand jury last month, with charges brought by former Trump attorney-turned-U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan. Halligan was appointed to the position after veteran Justice Department lawyers in Virginia refused to pursue charges. The case has drawn intense criticism nationwide and sparked fears that Trump is weaponizing the Department of Justice against his political opponents.
Comey faces two felony charges of making a false statement and obstruction of testimony before Congress in 2017 and 2020. The charges stem from his tenure at the FBI while it investigated possible ties between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.
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Officials within the Justice Department have questioned the likelihood of a successful case against Comey. Sources familiar with the prosecution’s case told ABC that a central witness’ testimony would make the case “problematic.” DOJ investigators who probed Comey’s 2020 testimony warned against pursuing charges in an internal memo last month, saying that the prosecution would face “likely insurmountable problems.”
If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison. A trial date has been set for Jan. 5.
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