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Former Federal Bureau of Investigation head James Comey has denied the charges to giving untrue testimony to US legislators and obstructing a lawmaking procedure.

Mr Comey's lawyer submitted the answer representing him in a US district court in the Virginia city of Alexandria on Wednesday morning.

The defense lawyer announced he would seek to have the case dismissed for multiple reasons including that his defendant, a opponent of President Donald Trump, was being selectively prosecuted.

The former director was charged shortly after Donald Trump pressured his top legal official to move forward against him.

Legal Proceedings

During the hearing on Wednesday, his attorney Patrick Fitzgerald informed the court they planned to submit multiple petitions to terminate the proceedings before a court case, stating the legal action was spiteful and that a government lawyer was unlawfully designated to take over the legal matter.

Mr Comey's proceedings was originally overseen by a Virginia prosecutor, who stepped down under scrutiny from the former president after his probe into a different opponent - New York Attorney General Letitia James - did not succeed to initiate prosecution.

Judicial Environment

James Comey appeared in positive mood as he entered the court on Wednesday, chatting with his attorneys and sharing humor. He was joined by his spouse, his wife and child his daughter, a government attorney who the former government dismissed.

Following the reading to the judge state his legal protections and the dual charges against him in legal proceedings on mid-week, Mr Comey was inquired if he grasped the charges.

"Yes your honour. Thank you," he stated to the court.

Background Context

Mr Comey was the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2013 to 2017 and was fired about a few months into the former president's first administration as president. At the time, Mr Comey was directing an probe into international campaign influence and whether there were any links between the Russian government and the election effort.

Throughout his leadership, James Comey triggered a backlash from Democrats when he declared just days before the 2016 election that he was investigating political contender Clinton's use of a private email server. Legal actions against Hillary Clinton were not filed, causing negative feedback from conservative politicians as well.

Present Charges

Prosecutors claim Mr Comey gave untrue statements to Congress during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 2020 when he was being examined about both the email probe as well as the Russia election probe. They claim he provided false information to the upper house by saying he had not authorized an individual at the agency to release to media organizations information about the FBI investigations.

Legal representatives also accuse the defendant of "wrongfully trying to sway, block and delay" the committee by providing untrue information to it.

Personal Comments

In a video the former director published to his Instagram after he was accused, he stated he was innocent and accused Donald Trump of conducting himself like a "dictator".

"We have understood for a long time that there are costs to opposing Donald Trump," he stated. "We will not live on our knees."

"I am not guilty," he stated further. "Therefore proceed with a legal proceeding."

These allegations against the former director emerged after the former president posted on online platforms insisting on his attorney general, the attorney general, take legal action against James Comey and others.