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Previous Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James the ex-FBI chief has entered an innocent plea to giving untrue testimony to lawmakers and hindering a legislative process.

The former director's lawyer submitted the plea acting as his counsel in a US district court in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

The defense lawyer stated he would try to have the legal matter dismissed for several causes including that his the accused, a critic of Donald Trump, was being singled out.

Mr Comey was indicted shortly after Donald Trump urged his chief prosecutor to move forward against him.

Legal Proceedings

During the hearing on Wednesday, the defense counsel Patrick Fitzgerald informed the court they intended to file various legal requests to terminate the proceedings before a trial, arguing the government's case was vindictive and that a US attorney was wrongfully appointed to take over the case.

The former director's legal matter was first handled by the original attorney, who left his position under scrutiny from Donald Trump after his examination into another rival - New York Attorney General Letitia James - failed to bring criminal charges.

Courtroom Atmosphere

The former director appeared in good spirits as he came into the court on Wednesday, conversing with his lawyers and sharing humor. He was accompanied by his spouse, his wife and offspring Maureen, a federal prosecutor who the Trump administration recently fired.

Following the reading to the court state his constitutional guarantees and the two counts against him in legal proceedings on Wednesday, Mr Comey was asked if he comprehended the allegations.

"Absolutely your honour. Thank you," he told the court.

Previous Events

James Comey was the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from four years and was fired about several months into Donald Trump's initial presidency as president. At the time, he was leading an investigation into Russian election interference and whether there were any connections between the Russian government and the presidential campaign.

During his tenure, James Comey sparked a negative reaction from liberal politicians when he announced just immediately preceding the 2016 presidential election that he was examining presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. Indictments against Clinton were not filed, leading to criticism from Republicans as well.

Ongoing Accusations

Prosecutors assert Mr Comey gave untrue statements to the legislature during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2020 when he was being questioned about both the email probe as well as the foreign influence inquiry. They allege he deceived the legislative body by claiming he had not approved an individual at the FBI to disclose to media organizations information about the FBI investigations.

Legal representatives also allege James Comey of "corruptly endeavoring to affect, hinder and delay" the committee by providing untrue information to it.

Individual Responses

In a video James Comey published to his online platform after he was indicted, he declared he was wrongly accused and accused the former president of acting like a "tyrant".

"My family and I have understood for a long time that there are ramifications to challenging Mr Trump," he commented. "We choose not to live on our knees."

"I'm innocent," he stated further. "So let's have a court case."

These allegations against Mr Comey surfaced after Donald Trump shared on social media insisting on his chief prosecutor, Pam Bondi, take legal action against James Comey and additional individuals.