Overview
- Federal prosecutors in North Carolina secured a grand jury indictment Tuesday charging the former FBI director with two counts, including threatening the president over a May 2025 Instagram post.
- Prosecutors say the photo showed seashells spelling “86 47,” with “86” used in U.S. slang for getting rid of or killing someone and “47” read as a reference to Trump as the 47th president.
- Each count carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison, and the U.S. Secret Service had already opened an inquiry after the post drew notice.
- Comey took down the image, said he opposes violence, and later stated he is innocent.
- An earlier case against Comey was dismissed in November because the prosecutor had not been lawfully appointed, and critics such as Sen. Dick Durbin now accuse the department of serving a vengeful agenda.