ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to charges of making false statements and obstructing a 2020 congressional proceeding, as prosecutors signaled the case would introduce classified information in the discovery phase of legal proceedings.
The prosecution, led by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, argued this was a complicated case and pushed for more time before bringing it to trial. U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff raised skepticism about how complicated the two-charge indictment is, but he eventually agreed that a preliminary date for when the trial could begin is Jan. 5.
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The government requested that a trial take place outside the “speedy trial window” in part because there is a large amount of discovery in the case, including classified materials, which were not previously discussed ahead of the arraignment.
When asked by the judge if Comey understood the charges against him, he responded, “I do, your honor. Thank you very much.”
Comey welcomed a trial in his statement following the Sept. 25 indictment, though his attorney Patrick Fitzgerald signaled they may attempt to avoid one altogether.
This is a developing story and will be updated.