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Former Federal Bureau of Investigation head James Comey has entered an innocent plea to making false statements to lawmakers and impeding a legislative process.

His attorney entered the response acting as his counsel in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

His attorney announced he would seek to have the legal matter dismissed for various reasons including that his the accused, a critic of Donald Trump, was being targeted.

James Comey was charged shortly after the former president pressured his attorney general to take action against him.

Court Developments

During the hearing on Wednesday, his attorney Mr Fitzgerald told the judge they planned to submit various motions to dismiss the proceedings before a trial, stating the prosecution was spiteful and that a government lawyer was improperly assigned to handle the legal matter.

James Comey's case was first managed by a Virginia prosecutor, who stepped down under pressure from Trump after his examination into an additional rival - New York Attorney General Letitia James - failed to initiate prosecution.

Judicial Environment

The former director seemed in optimistic frame of mind as he walked into the legal venue on mid-week, chatting with his legal team and being lighthearted. He was accompanied by his spouse, his wife and daughter Maureen Comey, a federal prosecutor who the Trump administration dismissed.

Upon hearing to the judge read his constitutional guarantees and the pair of allegations against him in legal proceedings on Wednesday, the defendant was inquired if he understood the allegations.

"I do your honour. Thank you very much," he stated to the proceedings.

Background Context

James Comey was the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2013-2017 and was fired about a few months into Donald Trump's initial presidency as commander-in-chief. At the time, the director was leading an probe into foreign election meddling and whether there were any connections between Moscow and Trump's campaign.

While in office, James Comey caused a negative reaction from liberal politicians when he declared just immediately preceding the 2016 election that he was examining Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email system. Charges against Hillary Clinton were not pursued, causing negative feedback from Republicans as well.

Current Allegations

Prosecutors claim Mr Comey lied to the legislature during a congressional hearing in recent years when he was being examined about both the email probe as well as the foreign influence inquiry. They say he misled the upper house by claiming he had not authorized a person at the Federal Bureau of Investigation to release to news outlets details about the agency probes.

Government lawyers also charge James Comey of "improperly attempting to sway, obstruct and delay" the panel by making false statements to it.

Personal Comments

In a video Mr Comey shared to his online platform after he was accused, he stated he was wrongly accused and accused Trump of acting like a "tyrant".

"We have known for considerable time that there are costs to opposing Donald Trump," he said. "We choose not to live on our kneeling."

"I am not guilty," he added. "Thus initiate a court case."

The charges against Mr Comey emerged after the former president published on social media demanding his chief prosecutor, the attorney general, prosecute Mr Comey and additional individuals.