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Previous Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James Comey has entered an innocent plea to giving untrue testimony to lawmakers and hindering a legislative process.

Mr Comey's lawyer submitted the plea acting as his counsel in a US district court in the Virginia city of Alexandria on Wednesday.

Patrick Fitzgerald stated he would seek to have the proceedings thrown out for several reasons including that his defendant, a opponent of Donald Trump, was being selectively prosecuted.

James Comey was charged shortly after the former president urged his attorney general to proceed against him.

Judicial Process

In court on mid-week, the defense counsel Mr Fitzgerald informed the judge they planned to file various legal requests to dismiss the proceedings before a court case, claiming the prosecution was retaliatory and that a federal prosecutor was improperly assigned to take over the legal matter.

Mr Comey's case was originally handled by a Virginia prosecutor, who stepped down under scrutiny from Trump after his investigation into an additional rival - the New York official - failed to bring criminal charges.

Legal Setting

Mr Comey came across in good spirits as he entered the courtroom on mid-week, chatting with his legal team and making jokes. He was joined by his partner, Mrs Failor and child his daughter, a federal prosecutor who the former government recently fired.

After listening to the judge recite his rights and the two counts against him in the courtroom on mid-week, Mr Comey was inquired if he grasped the accusations.

"I do your honour. Thank you very much," he told the court.

Background Context

The former director was the FBI Director from 2013-2017 and was terminated about four months into the former president's first term as president. At the moment, Mr Comey was directing an probe into international campaign influence and whether there were any relationships between Russia and Trump's campaign.

During his tenure, Mr Comey caused a backlash from the Democratic party when he stated just immediately preceding the 2016 presidential election that he was probing presidential nominee Clinton's use of a non-governmental email account. Indictments against Clinton were not pursued, resulting in negative feedback from Republicans as well.

Current Allegations

Government attorneys assert the former director provided false information to Congress during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2020 when he was being questioned about both the Clinton investigation as well as the Russia election probe. They say he misled the Senate by claiming he had not authorized an individual at the agency to release to media organizations details about the FBI investigations.

Prosecutors also accuse Mr Comey of "improperly attempting to affect, block and impede" the panel by giving misleading testimony to it.

Public Statements

Through a recording Mr Comey published to his social media after he was indicted, he declared he was innocent and accused Donald Trump of behaving like a "tyrant".

"My family and I have known for a long time that there are consequences to standing up to Mr Trump," he stated. "We will not live on our kneeling."

"I am not guilty," he stated further. "So let's have a legal proceeding."

These allegations against James Comey emerged after Trump posted on social media insisting on his top legal official, Ms Bondi, charge the former director and additional individuals.