Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday morning in a case brought against him by the federal government.
During the arraignment that took place in a federal courthouse in Virginia, Biden-appointed District Judge Michael Nachmanoff assigned a trial date for Jan. 5, 2026.
A federal grand jury indicted Comey in September, bringing two charges against him:
- Making a false statement to Congress
- Obstruction of justice
The charges related to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 2020, where Comey denied having authorized one of his agents to serve as an anonymous source for media outlets, thereby obstructing congressional work.
Both Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan have been under investigation by President Donald Trump’s FBI for potential wrongdoings in the Trump-Russia probe during the Obama administration.
Comey’s head attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said they would seek to dismiss the trial before January, accusing the federal government of “malicious and selective prosecution based on Mr. Trump’s public demand that Comey be prosecuted,” according to The New York Times.
Ahead of his arraignment, Comey posted on social media last week claiming his innocence.
“I’m not afraid, and I hope you’re not either,” Comey said. “I hope instead, you are engaged, you are paying attention, and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it, which it does.”
He continued, “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent, so let’s have a trial and keep the faith.”
Oral argument dates are set for Nov. 19 and Dec. 9, with the jury trial scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, 2026.
