WASHINGTON - Former FBI Director James Comey on Oct 30 expanded his legal challenge to a Trump administration criminal case
accusing him of making false statements,
saying his testimony was truthful and would not substantiate the charge.
In a legal filing, Comey’s lawyers said his 2020 Senate testimony was “literally true” and prompted by ambiguous questions from Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.
“Fundamental to any false statement charge are both clear questions and false answers,” Comey’s lawyers wrote in the filing. “Neither exists here.”
The filing is Comey’s latest attempt to have the charges thrown out before a trial. He has pending challenges arguing the US attorney who brought the case was unlawfully appointed and that he is being unfairly targeted because of Mr Trump’s “personal spite” against him.
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.
Prosecutors are due to respond to Comey’s claims in court filings in November.
Comey is accused of lying during the hearing when he said he stood by prior testimony that he had not authorised anyone at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about investigations into President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton. Comey has pleaded not guilty.
The former FBI director, who investigated alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia, was the first of three of Mr Trump’s perceived political enemies to be criminally charged in recent weeks.
The Justice...
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