Former FBI Director James Comey struck a defiant tone in a video shared after his indictment, insisting he’s harmless and won’t be intimidated by President Trump.
“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 mentioned. “We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.”
Comey made the declaration in a clip shared on Instagram after he was charged Thursday with making a false assertion and obstruction of a congressional continuing. They relate to testimony he delivered to Congress on Sept. 30, 2020. Prosecutors have alleged Comey lied to the Judiciary Committee when he denied authorizing an FBI official to behave as an nameless supply to the media.
“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent,” Comey mentioned within the video. “So let’s have a trial, and keep the faith.”
Instagram / comey
Former FBI Director James Comey is pictured in a video shared on Instagram after his indictment. (Instagram / comey)
Trump additionally took to social media to reply to the indictment, lauding the transfer in a publish on his personal Fact Social platform.
“JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI,” he wrote.
“Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts,” Trump added. “He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation.”
Comey has been within the President’s crosshairs ever since he directed the FBI to analyze Russian election interference within the 2016 presidential race and its potential ties to the Trump marketing campaign. Their relationship solely turned additional strained when Trump took workplace, and Comey was fired from his position by Might 2017.
His indictment got here days after the President issued a public demand for his Justice Division to behave “now” and convey prosecutions towards Comey and different political foes.
Within the publish addressed to Lawyer Common Pam Bondi, the president wrote, “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), over nothing,” and “Justice must be served, now!!”
