Justice Dept charges James Comey over Trump “threat”

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Acting AG Todd Blanche files criminal charges against former FBI Director…
Feds claim Comey’s social media photo of seashells in “86 47” pattern was death threat…
Comey on Substack: “This is not who we are as a country… let’s go”…
Daily Wire reporter asks if Michigan’s Whitmer is next for “86 45” pin from 2020…

Former FBI director James Comey indicted again — this time over ’86 47′ seashell post

The Associated Press | Posted: April 28, 2026 8:16 PM | Last Updated: Just now

Case is 2nd in a matter of months against Comey, part of effort to prosecute Trump’s political opponents

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted again on Tuesday, this time in an investigation over a social media photo of seashells arranged on a beach that officials said constituted a threat against U.S. President Donald Trump.
The criminal case is the second in a matter of months against Comey and is part of the Trump administration Justice Department’s relentless effort to prosecute political opponents of the Republican president.
The seashells photo was posted nearly a year ago, but the indictment was secured as acting U.S. attorney general Todd Blanche, a Trump loyalist who previously served as his personal lawyer, aims to prove to the president that he’s the right person to hold the job permanently.
The two-count indictment charges Comey with “knowingly and willfully” making a threat to “take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon” Trump and with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.

It offers no evidence to support the claim that Comey knowingly made a threat against the president, especially since he has said the opposite, but suggested a “reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret” the message as a threat to do harm.
At a news conference announcing the indictment, Blanche refused to elaborate on any evidence of intent the government has but said: “How do you prove intent in any case? You prove intent with witnesses, with documents, with the defendant himself to the extent it’s appropriate. And that’s how we’ll prove intent in this case.”
And in an effort to rebut claims that Comey was being selectively prosecuted, Blanche contended that the case against the former FBI director was similar in kind to other threats cases the department routinely brings against the lesser known.
“While this case is unique and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate and that we will always investigate and regularly prosecute,” Blanche said.

‘I’m still innocent,’ Comey says

The case was filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the state where Comey found the seashells.
In a video message posted to his substack page, Comey responded to the indictment by saying, “Well, they’re back,” but adding that nothing has changed.