Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to felony charges in a case seen as part of President Donald Trump’s wider push to target political rivals.

Comey’s lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, entered the plea during the arraignment at a federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, before District Judge Michael Nachmanoff.

The 64-year-old, a long-time critic of Trump, was indicted by a grand jury last month on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the courthouse ahead of the hearing, including one man holding a sign that read “Show Trial.”

The charges stem from Comey’s sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020. He is accused of falsely claiming that he had not authorized another FBI employee to act as an anonymous source for news reports. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

Comey, appointed FBI director by Barack Obama in 2013, was fired by Trump in 2017 amid investigations into alleged links between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russian operatives.

The indictment was filed shortly after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to act against Comey and others he considers political enemies, a move critics say undermines the independence of the Justice Department.

Trump, 79, who became the first convicted felon to serve as US president, welcomed the indictment, calling Comey “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to.”

The case also follows a series of steps by Trump’s administration to target perceived opponents, including dismissals of officials, actions against law firms, and cuts to university funding.

Comey’s indictment came after Erik Siebert, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, resigned, reportedly after telling Justice Department leaders that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. He was replaced by Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump lawyer, who brought the case to a grand jury.

Comey has repeatedly maintained his innocence. “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump,” he said.

His daughter, Maurene, was dismissed from her job as a Manhattan prosecutor in July and has since filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department.

Trump has faced several investigations since leaving office in 2021, including over classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases were dropped after his return to power in 2024, following Justice Department policy not to prosecute a sitting president.