James Comey responds to indictment: 'I'm innocent'

Former FBI Director James Comey appeared defiant in a new video released Thursday in response to his indictment, declaring his innocence and saying he has “great confidence in the federal judicial system.”

“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 said in a video on Instagram. “We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.”

"My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system," Comey said. "And I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial."

A federal grand jury indicted Comey earlier Thursday on one count of making a false statement and one count of obstruction of a congressional proceeding stemming from testimony he gave to Congress in 2020.

Prosecutors allege that he lied to the Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020, when he asserted that he did not authorize an FBI official to act as an anonymous source to the media.

The indictment comes almost a week after President Donald Trump complained in a social media post that he had seen statements that “nothing is being done” about Comey and other Trump opponents.

In the post addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the president wrote, “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), over nothing,” and “Justice must be served, now!!” in all capital letters.

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The indictment also comes days after the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, where it was filed, was ousted.

Acting U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert resigned Friday after pressure from Trump, who said, “I want him out.” Seibert was tasked with pursuing mortgage fraud allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump political opponent, but never filed charges.

Trump then said he was appointing Lindsey Halligan to replace Siebert. Halligan, a former personal attorney for Trump, was sworn in Monday as interim U.S. attorney for the district.