James Comey, the former director of the FBI, has pled not guilty to charges that he lied to Congress. Mr. Comey and his lawyer appeared in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, to answer an indictment filed last month that is based upon testimony that Mr. Comey gave before a Senate committee in September, 2020. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Mr. Comey’s attorney indicated that the defense would be filing two separate motions to dismiss the charges based upon “vindictive” and “selective” prosecution, that they claim is politically motivated. The second motion to dismiss will challenge the recent appointment of the new U.S. Attorney for the Eastern Division of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, and her authority to bring the charges.
The Pressure to Plead Guilty in the College Admissions Case
For any defendant facing federal charges, the pressure to plead guilty is very strong. There are two main reasons for this: 1) the extreme financial burden of going to trial with a private lawyer; and 2) the long sentence that waits those who lose at trial. So when...
