James Comey, the former head of the FBI, spoke out defiantly on Thursday after being charged with two felonies. He said that the legal battle was the price of standing up to Donald Trump. Comey said in a video he posted on Instagram that he and his family had understood for a long time that “there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump,” but they “could not imagine themselves living any other way.”
A U.S. Justice Department grand jury charged Comey with two crimes: lying and getting in the way of a congressional proceeding.
Comey explicitly addressed the claims, saying he was innocent and calling for a public settlement. “I am not guilty. “Let’s have a trial and keep the faith,” he remarked. He said he trusted the federal court system, but he was sad about what was going on at his old agency: “My heart is broken for the department of justice.”
The former head of the FBI told Americans to stay politically active and gave them a message of strength: “We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.” He ended his speech with a strong remark that a close friend allegedly shared: “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, but I’m not afraid. I hope you’re not either.” He told people to “vote like your beloved country depends on it, because it does.”
Trump Calls Indictment “Justice for America”
President Donald Trump, who has been a vociferous critic of Comey since firing him as FBI Director in 2017, quickly and strongly praised the charge.
Trump praised the decision on his Truth Social platform, saying it was “JUSTICE IN AMERICA!” He also dubbed Comey “one of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to.” Trump was happy at the indictment and said that Comey “is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation.”
Comey’s son-in-law, Troy Edwards, resigned as a federal prosecutor just after the indictment was made public. He said he did this to “uphold” his constitutional pledge.