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1h ago

Comey Pleads Not Guilty in Virginia as Defense Prepares to Challenge Prosecutor and Case

Pretrial motions will test selective‑prosecution claims alongside the legality of the newly installed prosecutor’s appointment.

Portrait of Former FBI Director James Comey on April 13, 2018 in Washington, DC, USA.
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This courtroom sketch depicts US District Michael Nachmanoff, at federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 10, 2019.
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Overview

  • James Comey entered a not guilty plea in federal court in Alexandria and was released without conditions, with a trial set for Jan. 5, 2026.
  • An EDVA grand jury indicted Comey on Sept. 25 on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding tied to his 2020 Senate testimony.
  • Comey’s team, led by Patrick Fitzgerald, said it will seek dismissal for selective or vindictive prosecution and will contest U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan’s appointment.
  • Reporting describes internal DOJ warnings about evidentiary weaknesses and a problematic witness, as career prosecutor Erik Siebert exited and Halligan, a former Trump aide with little prosecutorial experience, secured the indictment near the statute deadline.
  • Trump publicly urged prosecution on Sept. 20, and the Wall Street Journal reported he believed his post was private; Republican allies caution convictions may be hard to win in Northern Virginia as the administration pursues other adversaries including Letitia James, Adam Schiff and John Bolton.