Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Sunday accused the Department of Justice of pursuing a politically motivated indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, arguing that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is angling to keep his job. Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Schiff said the charges, handed up by a grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina, are a transparent effort to target a Trump adversary.
"It's the fact the president has called upon [Comey] to prosecution. It's the fact that Todd Blanche wants to keep this job," Schiff told host Kristen Welker. He added that former Attorney General Pam Bondi's failure to bring a case against one of Trump's enemies also played a role, suggesting the DOJ is now compensating.
The indictment alleges Comey threatened President Trump by posting a photo of seashells arranged to read "86-47" on Instagram last May. In restaurant slang, "86" means to discard, but Trump, the 47th president, has claimed the post was a death threat. Comey deleted the image and denies any violent intent.
Blanche, who has not been formally nominated for the attorney general role, defended the case earlier Sunday, telling Welker the prosecution is not solely about the Instagram post. However, Schiff dismissed the legal basis as flimsy, calling it the weakest case he has seen in his career as a former federal prosecutor in California.
"In the future, in the Department of Justice, if anyone ever suggests bringing a case this weak, there'll be a new name for it. They'll be called 'seashells' cases," Schiff quipped. He predicted the indictment would be dismissed before trial, adding, "It will absolutely be thrown out by the jury."
The case has drawn scrutiny even among some Republicans, with critics labeling it political revenge. For more on the debate over the indictment's legitimacy, see our analysis: DOJ's Case Against Comey: Routine Threat Prosecution or Political Stretch?.
Schiff's remarks come as Blanche faces questions about his tenure. When asked if he would follow any presidential directive, Blanche told Welker, "He can ask me to do whatever he chooses and I'll be happy to do my job." This has fueled speculation that the indictment is an audition for the permanent role, a claim Blanche has denied. Read more in Blanche Denies Comey Indictment Is Audition for Attorney General Role.
The legal battle is expected to unfold in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where a federal judge will weigh the government's evidence. Legal experts remain divided, with some arguing the case sets a dangerous precedent for prosecuting political figures over ambiguous social media posts.
