Comey faces charges over "86 47" post. How far will the case get?
Former FBI Director James Comey faces new criminal charges over a deleted Instagram post showing seashells arranged as '86 47,' which prosecutors allege was a threat against President Trump. Legal experts question the strength of the case, citing First Amendment concerns and the ambiguity of the message. This is the second indictment against Comey under the current Justice Department, with the first case having been dismissed over prosecutorial appointment issues.
- ▪A federal grand jury indicted James Comey on charges of making threats against President Trump based on a social media post.
- ▪The post featured seashells forming the numbers '86 47,' which Comey said he did not intend as a threat and promptly deleted.
- ▪Legal scholars argue the case raises serious First Amendment issues, as the message was ambiguous and '86' is commonly defined as slang for 'get rid of,' not 'kill.'
- ▪Comey's previous indictment was dismissed because the prosecutor was found to have been unlawfully appointed.
- ▪Comey's defense plans to argue the prosecution is vindictive and selective due to Trump's public hostility toward him.
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Politics Ex-FBI Director James Comey faces charges over "86 47" post. How strong is the case? By Melissa Quinn, Melissa Quinn Senior Reporter, Politics Melissa Quinn is a senior reporter for CBSNews.com, where she covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Read Full Bio Melissa Quinn, Jacob Rosen Jacob Rosen Justice Department Reporter Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Read Full Bio Jacob Rosen Updated on: May 1, 2026 / 2:55 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a second round of criminal charges after…
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