Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has suggested that there is more evidence in the case against former FBI Director James Comey than the controversial seashell Instagram post that sparked federal charges. Comey surrendered at a federal courthouse in the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday, facing charges of threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
The Seashell Post and Its Meaning
The charges stem from an Instagram post Comey made last May, featuring seashells arranged to spell out '8647.' This phrase has been adopted by radical anti-Trumpers and interpreted by President Trump and his allies as a call for his assassination. The number 86 is slang for removing or killing, while Trump is the 47th president.
Blanche's Comments on NBC's Meet the Press
Speaking on NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday, Blanche emphasized that the investigation went beyond the Instagram post. 'Every case requires an investigation; what you just showed is one part of the investigation. The career FBI agents and Secret Service agents didn't just look at this Instagram post and walk away,' he said. 'I'm not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found, but rest assured, it's not the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.'
Blanche added, 'This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that prosecutors collected over about 11 months. That evidence was presented to the grand jury.' He also noted that similar threats against Trump are posted constantly, but not all result in indictment, implying that specific factors in Comey's case led to charges.
Comey's Response and Legal Strategy
Comey, who did not enter a plea on Wednesday, denied the charges in a video on Substack, stating, 'I'm still innocent, I'm still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let's go.' Judge William Fitzpatrick allowed Comey to leave without conditions. His attorneys plan to file motions accusing the DOJ of selectively and vindictively prosecuting him at the President's direction.
Trump's Statements
President Trump has called Comey a 'dirty cop' and claimed he may have lied about using 'mob' language. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, '86 is a mob term for kill him. 86 47 means kill President Trump.' He added, 'James Comey, who is a Dirty Cop, one of the worst, knows this full well! EIGHT MILES OUT, SIX FEET DOWN!' Trump also questioned whether Comey lied to the FBI about his familiarity with the phrase.
Comey posted the photo last year with the caption, 'Cool shell formation on my beach walk,' but deleted it the same day and apologized.
