James Comey Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Criminal Charges

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to criminal charges many have viewed as an act of retribution by President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday.

The government figure was charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, according to The New York Times.

Comey entered his plea at a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday. The judge who's overseeing the case has set a trial date for January 5, 2026.

The former FBI Director wasn't taken into custody after he entered his plea, and there won't be any conditions for his release. His lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, stated he'll be filing a motion to dismiss the case prior to its scheduled start date.

Comey was indicted in September, and the charges both stem from his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020. He's been accused of lying about leaking confidential information to the media.

The prosecution will be led by Lindsey Halligan, who was selected by Trump to replace the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia ... who had resigned in protest over being pressured to prosecute Comey.

Halligan's background is mostly in insurance law ... she joined Trump's personal legal team in 2022 after the FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Halligan later started working in the White House as an aide in January 2025.

The Comey trial is estimated to take two to three days to complete. Fitzgerald said he's confident the case will be dismissed on motions he plans to file regarding vindictive prosecution, and Halligan's appointment, which he sees as wrongful.