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Greetings and thank you for joining our coverage of US politics with one-time Federal Bureau of Investigation Chief Comey due to make his first judicial proceeding in a Department of Justice prosecution alleging he lied to the U.S. Congress back in 2020.

Judicial Process and Expected Developments

This initial hearing is anticipated to be short, per Associated Press, but the event is nonetheless loaded with historical significance since the case has heightened concerns that the Department of Justice is being weaponized in pursuit of President Trump's government critics.

The former FBI director is projected to enter a not guilty plea at the federal court building in the Alexandria federal court, and his legal team will almost certainly attempt to get the indictment dismissed ahead of proceedings, potentially by contending that the case amounts to a selective or spiteful prosecution.

Detailed Charges and Court Assertions

The two-charge indictment claims that Comey made a false statement to the Congressional committee on the fall of 2020, by claiming he didn't authorized an colleague to serve as an confidential informant to the journalists, and that he impeded a congressional proceeding.

James Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has expressed he was eager for a trial. These charges fails to name the associate or say what material may have been provided to the media.

Governmental Context and Broader Implications

While criminal charges are usually just the commencement of a protracted court process, the Justice Department has trumpeted the situation itself as something of a win.

Trump administration officials are anticipated to reference any conviction as proof the legal matter was properly founded, but an exoneration or even charge dismissal may also be held up as further support for their ongoing contention that the judicial system is biased against them.

Court Appointment and Governmental Reactions

The presiding judge chosen by lottery to the case, Nachmanoff, is a President Biden's administration judicial appointment. Recognized for systematic approach and a cool temperament, the judge and his experience have already attracted the chief executive's notice, with the former president criticizing him as a "President Biden selected court official."

Other Administrative Developments

• President Trump met with the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, and humorously suggested him to consent to "a merger" of their both nations
• The former president suggested that he might ignore a law requiring that furloughed government workers will get backpay after the budget impasse finishes
• Congressional leader Johnson claimed that his determination to stave off the official seating of representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of the state of Arizona has "nothing to do" with the circumstance that she would be the critical signatory on the both parties legislative petition
• Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, toured the ICE facility in Portland, Oregon accompanied by political commentators

Throughout the five-hour testimony, the AG declined to talk about many of the government's contentious policies, even with persistent interrogation from the Democratic senators

When pressed, she directly criticized several lawmakers from the other party or referenced the continuing federal closure to depict them as irresponsible.

International Developments

Meanwhile in Egypt, a US delegation has entered the negotiations taking place between Hamas and the Israeli government on Trump's Gaza plan with the newest information that captive and detainee registries have been shared.