Former FBI Director James Comey took to Substack on Tuesday with a defiant video response to a fresh federal indictment, accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the Department of Justice against him. The charges stem from a social media post in which he arranged seashells on a North Carolina beach to read “86-47,” which prosecutors claim was a threat to harm the president.
“Well, they’re back. This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina Beach a year ago, and this won’t be the end of it. But nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let’s go,” Comey said, his tone both weary and combative.
The former FBI chief, who led the Russia investigation that shadowed Trump’s first term, insisted the seashell arrangement was purely a “political message.” He said he removed the post as soon as he realized the numbers could be interpreted as violent. “It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” he explained.
The term “86” is widely used as slang for discarding or canceling something, but prosecutors allege that in combination with “47”—a reference to Trump as the 47th president—it constituted a threat. This is the second time Comey has faced federal charges; an earlier case for false statements and obstruction was dismissed due to an unlawful prosecutor appointment. The Trump administration has appealed that decision.
Democrats were quick to denounce the new indictment. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) called it part of a pattern: “These administration officials don’t know how to take no for an answer. Their repeated efforts to weaponize the Department of Justice, to weaponize the criminal justice system against their political opponents, is as brazen as it is offensive.” She expressed hope that a jury would see the case as a “sham trial” and a “purely political act.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the charges, emphasizing the DOJ’s zero-tolerance policy for threats against the president. “Threatening the life of the president of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice,” Blanche said, noting that the department has filed dozens of similar cases in the past year. “We take these seriously. Every single one of them.”
The case has drawn comparisons to other politically charged prosecutions. In a related development, the SPLC fraud indictment has been denounced by Schumer as a weaponized attack, and Morial has similarly condemned the DOJ for targeting civil rights groups. Comey’s indictment adds to the growing list of Trump administration legal actions against political rivals.
Comey, who remains a polarizing figure, ended his video with a call for resilience: “But it’s really important that all of us remember this is not who we are as a country. This is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be. And the good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith.”
