Comey says seashells post was political speech - not a threat - as he presses to dismiss charges
Comey says the image was political speech protected by the First Amendment and that prosecutors have not shown he intended a true threat.
- On Monday, Former FBI Director James Comey formally asked a federal judge to dismiss his indictment, arguing his Instagram post of seashells spelling "86 47" was protected political speech, not a "true threat" against President Donald Trump.
- Prosecutors claim a "reasonable recipient" would interpret the May 2025 post as a "serious expression of an intent to do harm," leading to the two-count indictment charging Comey with transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
- Defense lawyers argue "86" signifies "get rid of" or "eject" rather than violence, maintaining the post constitutes protected expression under the First Amendment of the Constitution as a well-known political slogan.
- Counsel warned allowing the case to proceed would "permit the government to chill political opposition" through unfounded charges, arguing the prosecution imposes unconstitutional burdens on protected speech.
- This indictment follows a separate case dismissed last year after a judge ruled the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed; Comey faces potential arraignment in late September regarding these new charges.
152 Articles
152 Articles
Secret Service acknowledged 'legally bad decision to surveil Comey: court docs
Former FBI director James Comey’s defense on Tuesday detailed the “bizarre aspects of the federal investigation” related to his alleged threat against President Donald Trump, Politico reports. Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury in April over a May 2025 photo on Instagram that spelled out “86-47” in seashells.According to Comey’s filing, one such bizarre aspect included law enforcement tracking Comey “via his cellphone” as he made the dri…
The Dallas Express News
wbap.comComey Seeks To Toss ‘86 47’ Trump Threat Charges, Claims Seashell Post Was Protected Speech
Former FBI Director James Comey asked a federal judge Monday to dismiss with prejudice the criminal charges stemming from his “86 47” seashell post, claiming the image constituted protected political speech rather than a “true threat” against President Donald Trump. Comey’s attorneys filed the motion in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. A federal grand jury indicted him in April on one count of threatening the P…
James Comey's Federal Case Takes a Major Turn - Patriot Newsfeed
James Comey, the former FBI director, now faces federal charges for a photo of seashells. Prosecutors claim the image spelled “86 47” as a threat against President Trump. Comey’s team now asks a judge to toss the case entirely. They argue the photo was just political speech, not a crime. This legal battle tests the limits of free expression in our country. A federal grand jury returned the indictment in April. The case could go to trial this Oct…
Comey's legal team asks judge to drop ’86 47’ case, reiterating claim that his post was not a ’true threat’
Attorneys for former FBI Director James Comey have asked a federal judge to dismiss the case accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump in May 2025, arguing that his social media post did not constitute a "true threat" against the president.
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