Comey Indicted Again—This Time Over Seashells and a Message that Won’t Go Away
The Justice Department has indicted former FBI Director James Comey again, this time over a beach photo that spelled out “86 47”—and yes, that’s the case.
A former top lawman is now facing federal charges tied to seashells and slang that prosecutors say crossed a line.
The new indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in North Carolina, centers on a social media post Comey shared last year showing seashells arranged to read “86 47”—a phrase critics interpreted as a threat toward President Donald Trump, the 47th president. Comey quickly deleted the post after backlash, later saying he thought it was a political message but denied advocating violence.
“Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” Comey originally wrote—hardly the stuff of a criminal case, but here we are. The problem is that “86” can mean anything from “get rid of” to something far darker, and prosecutors appear to be betting a jury will take the latter interpretation seriously. Legal experts, meanwhile, say that’s a steep hill to climb given the high bar for proving a true threat.
This isn’t Comey’s first rodeo with this Justice Department. He was previously indicted over alleged false statements to Congress, a case that ultimately collapsed after a judge tossed it due to issues with the prosecutor’s appointment. That history matters—it underscores just how determined Trump and his allies have been to pursue charges against a longtime adversary.
Layer in the broader context—Comey’s firing by Trump, years of public attacks, and even the dismissal of Comey’s daughter from a federal prosecutor role—and this latest indictment starts to look less like a one-off legal action and more like a continuation of a long-running feud playing out in courtrooms.
Source: Washington Post
Editor: When your legal strategy hinges on decoding beach decor, you might want to double-check whether you’re running a justice system or moderating Instagram comments.