James Comey Faces Absurd Federal Threat Charge Over Seashell Photo

Former FBI Director James Comey appeared in federal court this week over a bizarre two-count indictment accusing him of threatening to kill former President Donald Trump. The alleged threat? A photo Comey posted on Instagram last May showing seashells arranged to form "86 47" on a North Carolina beach.

The numbers "86 47" supposedly signal a mob-style hit order on Trump, the 47th president, with "86" slang for eject or kill. Trump and the Department of Justice have seized on this as proof of a death threat. Comey’s lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, plans to file a motion to dismiss the case as vindictive prosecution, pointing out the lack of concrete evidence beyond the Instagram post.

Comey himself said he posted the photo after seeing the shells on vacation, thinking it was simply a political message. He removed it within a day after backlash, emphasizing his opposition to violence of any kind.

The indictment, announced by FBI Director Kash Patel—known for his loyalty to Trump and weaponizing law enforcement against political foes—offers little beyond the photo and a claim that a reasonable person would interpret it as a threat. Patel said the FBI investigated the case for nearly a year, yet the charges remain thin on details.

This is Comey’s second federal indictment in less than a year, following a politically charged case accusing him of lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee about FBI sources in the 2016 Clinton email investigation. That case was dismissed due to procedural issues with the prosecutor’s appointment.

Judge William Fitzpatrick, who handled Comey’s previous indictment, allowed Comey to remain free without conditions, signaling skepticism about the prosecution’s necessity.

Trump’s public comments linking the seashell photo to mob hit language and reiterating baseless attacks on Comey as a "dirty cop" and election meddler underscore the political theater driving these charges. The case exemplifies the ongoing weaponization of federal agencies to target Trump’s critics and undermine the rule of law.

Comey’s court appearance is a stark reminder that under Trump’s DOJ, the justice system has become a tool for political vendettas disguised as criminal prosecutions. We will be watching closely as this farcical case unfolds.