The former director of the FBI, James Comey was on Thursday criminally charged on for making false statements and obstruction of justice.
Trump lauds Comey indictment
hailed the indictment on his Truth Social platform, claiming Comey “is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the indictment “reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.” FBI Director Kash Patel also said “no one is above the law.”
‘I am innocent’ — Comey
In a video posted on Instagram, Comey maintained his innocence.
“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I am innocent, so let’s have a trial and keep the faith,” Comey said.
Other members of Comey’s family have been targeted by the Department of Justice in recent months. The Justice Department fired Comey’s daughter, federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, in July without cause.
Why is Comey a target for the Trump administration?
Comey began his tenure as FBI Director in 2013 under former .
In 2016, then-Republican nominee Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.
During Trump’s first term in office, the FBI under Comey was investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign’s possible collusion with Russia to win that election.
The investigation drew anger from Trump in the first months of his first term in office, with Trump firing Comey in May 2017. Trump has frequently chastized the probe into Russian interference, calling it the “Russia hoax.”
The indictment of Comey comes days after Trump deleted a message on Truth Social apparently directed to Bondi, urging her to go after Comey, , California Senator Adam Schiff and other political enemies.
Recently, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Seibert stepped down amid pressure from the Trump administration to indict Letitia James. Trump then replaced Seibert with Lindsey Halligan, a loyalist with little prosecutorial experience.
Edited by: Kieran Burke
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