Overview

• James Comey entered a not-guilty plea in federal court in Alexandria to charges tied to his 2020 Senate testimony.
• The case was brought by Lindsey Halligan, a recently installed U.S. attorney and former personal lawyer to President Trump, after the prior prosecutor’s removal.
• Comey’s lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald said the defense believes the indictment was directed by President Trump.
• The indictment alleges Comey falsely denied authorizing an FBI deputy to speak anonymously to the press about an FBI investigation, and also charges obstruction of a congressional inquiry.
• A judge set the trial to begin on January 5 as reports describe career prosecutors urging against charges and DOJ assigning two outside prosecutors from Raleigh to handle the case.