Former FBI Director James Comey has vowed to fight federal criminal charges brought against him, defiantly declaring his innocence and his belief in the American judicial process while accusing his longtime rival, President Donald Trump, of orchestrating political retribution.
In a video message posted to Instagram on Thursday evening, hours after a grand jury indicted him, the former bureau chief appeared calm but resolute. Wearing a suit and tie, Comey told viewers:
“My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump. But we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.”
“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system. And I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial.”
The dramatic turn of events saw Comey become the first FBI director in US history to face federal criminal charges. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned two counts against him: one of making a false statement and another of obstructing a congressional proceeding. Both relate to testimony he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020.
Prosecutors allege Comey lied when he insisted he had not authorized an FBI official to serve as an anonymous source for the media, a denial that investigators now claim was false. They also argue that his testimony amounted to obstruction of Congress. If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison.
The indictment comes amid a broader reshuffling at the Justice Department following mounting pressure from Trump. Last week, Erik S. Siebert, acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned after the president demanded his removal, declaring: “I want him out.” Siebert, who had overseen politically sensitive probes, including allegations of mortgage fraud linked to New York Attorney General Letitia James, another Trump adversary, never filed charges.
Trump quickly moved to install one of his former defense lawyers, Lindsey Halligan, as Siebert’s replacement. She was sworn in on Monday, September 22, as interim US attorney for the district.
Comey’s indictment also came just days after Trump renewed calls on social media for prosecutions of his opponents. In a fiery post directed at Attorney General Pam Bondi, the president complained that “nothing is being done” about Comey and other political foes. “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), over nothing,” Trump wrote. “Justice must be served, now!!”
The charges have left many in legal and political circles stunned. Federal prosecutors in Virginia had previously advised that there was insufficient evidence to pursue a case against Comey. The Trump-appointed US attorney at the time reportedly agreed with that assessment, only to resign under presidential pressure.
The development further intensifies the long-running feud between Trump and Comey, which dates back to 2016 when the FBI opened an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in Trump’s presidential campaign. Trump ultimately fired Comey in May 2017, a decision that set off political shockwaves and contributed to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Comey’s defiance showed his determination to turn the legal fight into a broader test of principle. “Let’s have a trial,” he repeated, framing the indictment as not just an attack on him but on institutional independence.
While critics see the case as a clear example of Trump weaponizing the Justice Department against a perceived enemy, prosecutors appointed under the president maintain they have evidence to prove the former director lied under oath and obstructed a congressional investigation.
For now, the indictment ensures that one of the most polarizing figures of the Trump era will once again be thrust into the center of a political and legal storm, one that pits a former president against the man who once investigated him, with the credibility of America’s justice system hanging in the balance.
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