President Donald Trump has stated that the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey is about justice, not revenge, while labeling Comey a ‘dirty cop.’ Trump, while departing the White House, emphasized that the legal actions against Comey are about pursuing long-standing corruption, not political payback.
‘It’s about justice really, it’s not revenge,’ Trump said. ‘It’s also about the fact that you can’t let this go on. They are sick, radical left people, and they can’t get away with it, and Comey was one of the people.’ This sentiment was echoed as the Justice Department’s indictment of Comey continues to draw attention.
Trump’s remarks came after Comey was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The indictment includes two charges: false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. According to the indictment, Comey gave a strong but false answer under oath, which ultimately led to his being caught lying.
‘The only problem is for him, he didn’t think he’d be caught, and he got caught,’ Trump said, emphasizing that Comey could have hedged or said he didn’t remember, but he instead gave a very specific response. Trump also stated that Comey lied a lot, and with his very specific answer, he verified it numerous times, leading to his indictment.
Comey’s indictment follows a probe into whether he lied to Congress during his testimony about the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Comey has denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated by the Trump Justice Department. In an Instagram video, Comey expressed his belief that there are costs to standing up to Trump, but emphasized that his family and he couldn’t imagine living any other way. He added, ‘We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.’ He also stated, ‘But I’m not afraid.’
The indictment also alleges that Comey made a false statement when he testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source, according to the indictment. It is noted that this statement was false, adding to the gravity of the charges. Comey’s arraignment is scheduled for 10 a.m. on October 9 before District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, a judge appointed by President Joe Biden.