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Ex- FBI chief James Comey has entered an innocent plea to providing misleading information to congressional representatives and impeding a congressional proceeding.

The former director's legal representative filed the plea representing him in a national courtroom in Alexandria, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

The defense lawyer announced he would seek to have the proceedings terminated for several reasons including that his client, a critic of former President Trump, was being singled out.

James Comey was charged soon after the former president pushed his attorney general to move forward against him.

Court Developments

At the proceedings on Wednesday, the defense counsel Patrick Fitzgerald informed the magistrate they planned to submit various petitions to throw out the legal matter before a legal hearing, stating the prosecution was vindictive and that a federal prosecutor was wrongfully assigned to assume control of the legal matter.

Mr Comey's proceedings was originally overseen by a Virginia prosecutor, who left his position under scrutiny from the former president after his examination into another rival - New York Attorney General Letitia James - was unable to bring criminal charges.

Judicial Environment

The former director came across in positive mood as he entered the legal venue on Wednesday, chatting with his lawyers and sharing humor. He was accompanied by his spouse, Mrs Failor and daughter Maureen Comey, a federal prosecutor who the previous administration recently fired.

After listening to the judge recite his legal protections and the pair of allegations against him in legal proceedings on mid-week, James Comey was questioned if he understood the allegations.

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

Background Context

James Comey was the chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2013-2017 and was terminated about four months into Trump's first term as commander-in-chief. At the moment, Mr Comey was leading an probe into foreign election meddling and whether there were any connections between Russia and the election effort.

Throughout his leadership, Mr Comey sparked a counter-response from Democrats when he announced just days before the 2016 election that he was investigating presidential nominee the candidate's use of a non-governmental email account. Charges against Hillary Clinton were not pursued, leading to criticism from the Republican party as well.

Current Allegations

Prosecutors allege the former director lied to Congress during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in recent years when he was being interrogated about both the Clinton investigation as well as the Russia election probe. They say he misled the Senate by stating he had not authorized a person at the Federal Bureau of Investigation to leak to journalistic entities information about the FBI investigations.

Government lawyers also allege the defendant of "wrongfully trying to affect, hinder and delay" the committee by giving misleading testimony to it.

Public Statements

In a video the former director shared to his online platform after he was indicted, he stated he was not guilty and accused the former president of acting like a "tyrant".

"We have known for considerable time that there are ramifications to opposing Mr Trump," he said. "We refuse to live on our bended knee."

"I'm innocent," he stated further. "Therefore proceed with a trial."

The accusations against Mr Comey came after the former president shared on digital channels insisting on his chief prosecutor, the attorney general, prosecute James Comey and others.