Ex-FBI director James Comey pleads not guilty to federal charges

The former FBI leader will go to trial in January but his legal team argue the case is politically motivated.

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His lawyer entered the plea on his behalf in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday morning.

Patrick Fitzgerald said he would seek to have the case dismissed for several reasons including that his client, a critic of US President Donald Trump, was being targeted.

Mr Comey was indicted a few days after Trump urged his attorney general to take action against him. After Mr Comey's lawyer requested a speedy trial, the judge set a date of 5 January.

Both the prosecution and defence expected the trial to last just two or three days.