Former James Comey has been indicted for a second time by the US Department of Justice, according to sources cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. year that showed seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47”.

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The new charges reportedly relate to an image Comey briefly posted on Instagram last Officials in the administration of Donald Trump have argued the message amounted to a threat against the 47th US president.

Comey has denied any such intent, saying he did not initially recognise the possible meaning of the numbers.

Social media post at centre of case

The exact charges in the new indictment have not yet been made public. However, sources said the case focuses on the now-deleted Instagram photo.

After posting the image, Comey later removed it and explained his reasoning in a follow-up message. He said he had assumed the arrangement of seashells was a political statement but had not realised some people associated the phrase “86 47” with violence.

“I didn’t realise some folks associate those numbers with violence,” he wrote at the time, adding that he opposes violence and therefore took the post down.

In American slang, the term “eighty-six” can mean to remove or eject something. Critics of Comey’s post argued the phrase could be interpreted as a call to remove the 47th president.

Trump dismissed Comey’s explanation, saying the meaning was obvious. “A child knows what that meant,” the president said.

Earlier case dismissed by judge

The new indictment follows a previous case brought against Comey in September. In that earlier indictment, federal prosecutors accused him of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding during testimony in 2020 related to press leaks.

Comey pleaded not guilty when he appeared briefly in court the following month.

However, in November a federal judge dismissed the case. Cameron Currie ruled that the prosecutor who filed the charges had not been properly appointed, rendering the indictment invalid.

The charges had been brought by Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide who had not previously prosecuted a case. The judge said Halligan had not been authorised to present the case to a grand jury.

Although the court dismissed the indictment, the ruling left open the possibility that prosecutors could bring the case again.

Long-running tensions with Trump

Comey suggested after the ruling that further legal action from the administration was likely.

“I believe Trump will probably come after me again,” he said at the time.

The former FBI chief has had a strained relationship with Trump for years. Trump dismissed Comey during his first term in office while the FBI was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

Since then, Comey has been a frequent critic of the president and has often been targeted by Trump in public statements.

Separately on Tuesday, another court decision involved Comey’s family. A judge ruled that Maurene Comey — the daughter of the former FBI director — may proceed with a lawsuit challenging her dismissal from a federal prosecutor role during the Trump administration.

The Justice Department has not yet commented publicly on the new indictment. The White House referred questions to the department, which is expected to address the matter during a scheduled briefing later on Tuesday.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 29 April 2026

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He lied to Congress!

He bragged about entrapping then national security advisor Mike Flynn.

FBI field agents didn't feel comfortable performing a interview , asking each other whether or not to be up front with him.

Lets hope the second time is a charm.

Prosecutors will likely face a high legal bar to prove that the Instagram post constituted a "true threat," which the Supreme Court in 2023 found required showing an individual understood their message would be perceived as threatening. With the phrase "86 47" increasingly adopted by protesters of the Trump administration, the case could carry sweeping implications for the First Amendment.

https://abcnews.com/US/grand-jury-indicts-former-fbi-director-james-comey/story?

NB from Wikipedia:

Key Aspects of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) on threats to President:

.

Prohibited Acts: Knowingly and willfully mailing, transporting, or otherwise making threats of violence against these individuals.

Intent Requirement: The Supreme Court has established that a "true threat" must be proven. The defendant must make a communication for the purpose of issuing a threat or know it would be viewed as such.

Excluded Speech: Political hyperbole, idle talk, or jokes about the President do not constitute a violation of this statute

4 hours ago, riclag said:

He lied to Congress!

He bragged about entrapping then national security advisor Mike Flynn.

FBI field agents didn't feel comfortable performing a interview , asking each other whether or not to be up front with him.

Lets hope the second time is a charm.

Totally unrelated to the issue at hand.

This case will lead to nothing. Even worse for Blanche and Trump, it could lead to an established malicious prosecution verdict.

This will be tossed out as soon as it goes to court, main reason being it is 'vindictive prosecution' by Trump on his 'revenge tour'. Todd and other dupes may lose their law licenses like Rudi did for bringing this absurd case to trial. Trump has said far worse threats with this mouth than and shell photo like here.

I have only heard term "86" applied to patrons of bars who get too rowdy: "Yeah, they 86'ed me" which means you have to leave and never come back. Never heard it as a death threat & I used to teach gangstas who know all that stuff

The proper threat number is '187', followed by name, from CHP radio code meaning a homicide.

These clowns are stoopid 24/7, another term from the hood

Damn good thing he wasn't in a boat in the Caribbean playing with his seashells!

A post with a derogatory political neologism to belittle or mock individuals with differing political views has been removed.

Got passed the ham sandwich test

North Carolina indicted him and there’s an arrest warrant out for him.

Jim says the Doj is better than this.

Jim you are better than sending out code 8647 .

The big issue is what he said to the FBI, because he is stuck with that. Thats what I want to see.

What about them? 😃

9 hours ago, Yagoda said:

The big issue is what he said to the FBI, because he is stuck with that. Thats what I want to see.

Maybe this:

Former FBI Director James Comey meets with Secret Service after controversial '86 47' post

Former FBI director faces questioning over deleted social media content some interpret as threatening

Published May 16, 2025

Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to meet face to face with U.S. Secret Service officials in Washington, D.C., for an interview about his "86 47" post, two sources briefed on the meeting told Fox News.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-fbi-director-james-comey-meets-secret-service-after-controversial-86-47-post

2 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Maybe this:

Former FBI Director James Comey meets with Secret Service after controversial '86 47' post

Former FBI director faces questioning over deleted social media content some interpret as threatening

Published May 16, 2025

Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to meet face to face with U.S. Secret Service officials in Washington, D.C., for an interview about his "86 47" post, two sources briefed on the meeting told Fox News.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-fbi-director-james-comey-meets-secret-service-after-controversial-86-47-post

Well thats fine what did he ssay?

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Well thats fine what did he ssay?

Former FBI Director James Comey interviewed by the US Secret Service

Updated May 17, 2025

Former FBI Director James Comey was interviewed by US Secret Service agents at their Washington, DC, field office on Friday afternoon, according to law enforcement sources.

It was expected that Comey would be asked whether he intended the message as a threat, or to inspire others who might consider an act of violence against Trump, the first law enforcement source said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/16/politics/comey-interviewed-secret-service

2 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Former FBI Director James Comey interviewed by the US Secret Service

Updated May 17, 2025

Former FBI Director James Comey was interviewed by US Secret Service agents at their Washington, DC, field office on Friday afternoon, according to law enforcement sources.

It was expected that Comey would be asked whether he intended the message as a threat, or to inspire others who might consider an act of violence against Trump, the first law enforcement source said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/16/politics/comey-interviewed-secret-service

OK, but what did he say?

Soon to be thrown out of court again.

https://www.rte.ie/news/us/2026/0429/1570760-james-comey-prosecution/

Republican Senator Thom Tillis told reporters on Wednesday that he hoped “there’s more to it than just the picture in the sand”.

“Otherwise, I just think it’s another example where we’re going to regret this because we’re setting a fairly low bar,” he said.

https://obrag.org/2026/04/former-fbi-director-comey-surrenders-over-charge-of-threatening-trumps-life-with-seashells/comment-page-1/#:~:text=Republican%20Senator%20Thom%20Tillis%20told,fairly%20low%20bar%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.

26 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

OK, but what did he say?

He said per Wallace interview that he was taken by the artistic merit and that each number 8-6-4-7 had used shells of the same color and neatly arranged.

And the Secret Service guy asked: How long did it take you to do that?

NB the details of the Secret Service interview May 2025 have not been released.

On 4/28/2026 at 9:04 PM, riclag said:

He lied to Congress!

He bragged about entrapping then national security advisor Mike Flynn.

FBI field agents didn't feel comfortable performing a interview , asking each other whether or not to be up front with him.

Lets hope the second time is a charm.

He did not lie to Congress. That's why Lindsey Halligan failed. Case dropped for lack of evidence.

Trump's series of failures in his political vindication tour is the only reason this new indictment happened, in addition to Blanche trying to suck up to his boss.

It's embarrassing to the US that such an absurdity is taking place 9 months after the Comey post. Kash Patel added to the absurdity by saying it took the bureau this long to investigate.

Investigate what? Shells on a beach? Was Patel interviewing horseshoe crabs and seagulls?

Maybe the Dems should open an investigation into Karoline Leavitt for possible "conspiracy", as she said to reporters BEFORE the White House Correspondents Dinner "There will be shots fired tonight."

How did she know? Get on it, Kash!

19 hours ago, Emdog said:

This will be tossed out as soon as it goes to court,

I have only heard term "86" applied to patrons of bars who get too rowdy:

In Cassells Dictionary of Slang, a respected book published in 1998, it specifically says it is used a term to kill.

https://archive.org/details/cassellsdictiona0000gree/page/474/mode/1up

The novel "Close Pursuit" by Carsten Stroud, published in 1988 also used "86" as a term meaning "to kill". The book is on archive.org and you can search its contents to confirm. Here is a screenshot:

Comey belongs in jail, but even if dismissed, the process is punishment.

13 hours ago, riclag said:

Got passed the ham sandwich test

It has but there are two counts he's been indicted for and the grand Jury must have been shown enough evidence for this case to be moved forward.

6 minutes ago, davb said:

Comey belongs in jail, but even if dismissed, the process is punishment.

Just about the definition for frivolous prosecution.

19 hours ago, Emdog said:

I have only heard term "86" applied to patrons of bars who get too rowdy: "Yeah, they 86'ed me" which means you have to leave and never come back. Never heard it as a death threat & I used to teach gangstas who know all that stuff

Really?

From AI:

While "86" is traditionally restaurant slang for refusing service or eliminating an item, it has evolved in mafia movies and thrillers to mean killing or murdering someone (often referring to taking them 8 miles out and 6 feet under).

So, per the words in their COUNT ONE of the indictment, Comey posted the photo of the sea shells to let everyone viewing his Instagram account know that HE -- JAMES COMEY -- was making a threat on the life or to inflict bodily harm on the President that HE, JAMES COMEY, himself intended to effectuate.

I always thought 86 was mafia speak for "whacking" someone. As such it could certainly be seen as a call for violence against the President.

Anyway it's good to see the lefties have gone all free speech again. 😃

5 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

As such it could certainly be seen as a call for violence against the President.

The statutes as charged have nothing to do with how someone other than Comey would act based upon viewing the seashell photo.

28 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I always thought 86 was mafia speak for "whacking" someone.

That was Nevada casino mob slang back in the day and is now used exclusively in Nevada businesses as a permanent ban from entering the business. Though it’s probably been around for a while before that.

23 minutes ago, JerryM said:

The statutes as charged have nothing to do with how someone other than Comey would act based upon viewing the seashell photo.

Actually it does. It's not only intention/meaning be it malicious or reckless of the act, it also takes into account perception i.e. what would any reasonable person think the intention/meaning is.

2 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Actually it does. It's not only intention/meaning be it malicious or reckless of the act, it also takes into account perception i.e. what would any reasonable person think the intention/meaning is.

The issue here is whether this constitutes as 'true threat'. Supreme Court ruling 2023 via Gemini

"True threats" are statements where the speaker communicates a serious intent to commit act(s) of unlawful violence against specific individuals or groups. Not protected by the First Amendment, these threats must be distinguished from jest, hyperbole, or political speech. They are legally actionable if a reasonable person would interpret them as a real, serious intent to inflict harm.

Legal Standard: The Supreme Court has indicated that prosecutors must show the defendant "recklessly disregarded the risk that a statement could be perceived as threatening violence" or had some subjective understanding of its threatening nature.

NB to the above: They are legally actionable if a reasonable person would interpret them as a real, serious intent to inflict harm BY COMEY.

Bondi failed to enforce Trump's Law so he punted her into touch and appointed (one of his) former personal lawyer Blanche as 'acting' DoJ chief. Anyone else see another epic failure coming down the pike?

Blanche denies political motive in Comey threat case *

Per President Ronald Reagan:

If you're explaining, you're losing.

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/blanche-denies-political-motive-in-comey-threat-case/gm-GM41C6217B