Comey denies charges, declares 'I am not afraid'
Former FBI Director James Comey has declared himself not afraid of President Donald Trump's Justice Department after being indicted Thursday for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding 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 Comey who denies the statements declared in an Instagram video We will not live on our knees and you shouldn't either Somebody that I love dearly in recent weeks announced that fear is the tool of a tyrant and she's right But I'm not afraid Comey added COMEY INDICTED FOR ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGComey was indicted by a grand jury following a probe centered on whether he lied to Congress during his Sept testimony about his handling of the original Trump Russia research at the FBI known inside the bureau as Crossfire Hurricane The indictment also alleges Comey made a false message when he testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source According to the indictment that declaration was false My heart is broken for the Department of Justice but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system Comey continued I'm innocent So let's have a trial and keep the faith Patrick J Fitzgerald will represent Comey in the affair and mentioned his client denies the charges Jim Comey denies the charges filed in the present day in their entirety Fitzgerald explained in a announcement We look forward to vindicating him in the courtroom JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO INDICT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESSFitzgerald previously served as special counsel in the Valerie Plame CIA leak probe and as U S attorney in Chicago where he prosecuted former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich who was convicted in a corruption disgrace in The indictment marks a stunning legal turn for the man who once led the bureau through the Hillary Clinton email dispute and Russia assessment Comey will reportedly turn himself in on Friday and his arraignment is set for a m on Oct before District Judge Michael S Nachmanoff a judge appointed by former President Joe Biden President Trump took to Truth Social Friday to celebrate the indictment and declared Comey a dirty copy Whether you like Corrupt James Comey or not and I can t imagine too a large number of people liking him HE LIED Trump wrote It is not a complex lie it s a very simple but PIVOTAL one There is no way he can explain his way out of it Trump noted Comey got unexpectedly caught but is off to a good start with the incident being assigned to a Biden-appointed judge He knew exactly what he was saying and that it was a very serious and far-reaching lie for which a very big price must be paid Trump wrote The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional review into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of USC Fox News Digital also exclusively stated that former CIA Director John Brennan is under criminal review related to the Trump Russia probe Under federal law prosecutors have five years to bring a charge with the five-year mark occurring Tuesday The matter is being handled by the U S Attorney s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia
