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 \u201cgreat confidence in the federal judicial system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump. But we couldn\u2019t imagine ourselves living any other way,\u201d Comey said in a video on Instagram. \u201cWe will not live on our knees, and you shouldn\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system,” Comey said. “And I\u2019m innocent. So let\u2019s have a trial.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The indictment comes almost a week after President Donald Trump complained in a social media post that he had seen statements that \u201cnothing is being done\u201d about Comey and other Trump opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the post addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the president wrote, \u201cThey impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), over nothing,\u201d and \u201cJustice must be served, now!!\u201d in all capital letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The indictment also comes days after the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, where it was filed, was ousted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acting U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert resigned Friday after pressure from Trump, who said, \u201cI want him out.\u201d Seibert was tasked with pursuing mortgage fraud allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump political opponent, but never filed charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n