James Comey – Acting U.S. attorney general Todd Blanche says the Comey indictment relies on more than an Instagram phrase tied to threats against Trump.
A former FBI director’s federal indictment is being framed as something more than a single viral phrase.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the charges brought against James Comey extend beyond the Instagram post at the center of the case. where seashells were arranged to display “86 47.” Speaking on “Meet the Press. ” Blanche argued that prosecutors relied on a wider body of material assembled over roughly a year. which was presented to a grand jury.
This matters because the dispute is not just about a message that circulated online, but about what the Justice Department says turns a public symbol into criminally relevant conduct.
Blanche also said he could not publicly detail additional evidence collected during the investigation. but he indicated that the case will become clearer during a public trial.. His remarks come as the controversy surrounding “86 47” has broadened. with critics pointing to the phrase’s presence across social media and merchandise.
President Donald Trump. asked earlier whether he felt his life was threatened by Comey’s post. said “Probably. ” and later suggested “86” was connected to a “mob term” used in reference to harming him.. While that characterization is contested, the case has placed the spotlight on how prosecutors interpret language that appears online.
The core tension here is whether the legal system treats widely repeated internet references as threats in context, or as ambiguous symbols that do not necessarily reflect intent.
Democratic Sen.. Adam Schiff sharply criticized Blanche’s defense of the indictment. arguing that what distinguishes the Comey case from other uses of “86 47” is not what the public can already see.. Schiff said the apparent focus on Comey reflects his political standing and the administration’s interest in pursuing him. rather than a uniquely provable threat.
Schiff also argued that the emphasis on a seashell-and-phrase matter diverts attention from other categories of violent crime. including crimes involving sexual violence and child exploitation.. Blanche. for his part. described the indictment as part of a broader pattern in which the Justice Department charges people who prosecutors say make threats aimed at the president.
As the case moves toward court, these arguments are likely to shape the public narrative about accountability, intent, and how federal prosecutors decide which online statements cross the line into criminal threats.
Blanche’s confirmation that this indictment draws on more than the Instagram post also touches an earlier legal dispute.. Last year. attempts to pursue criminal charges against Comey—and against New York Attorney General Letitia James—were dismissed by a federal judge after a challenge to whether the prosecutor bringing those cases was lawfully appointed.. Blanche said the earlier dismissals were based on appointment issues rather than findings about the facts. and he noted that the matter is on appeal.
The acting attorney general took over leadership at the Justice Department after the president fired Pam Bondi last month. leaving Blanche in the role as the government continued related investigations.. Comey has also been subpoenaed in a separate probe connected to Russia-related inquiries from the Trump administration era.