The former FBI director James Comey has been indicted and charged Tuesday with threatening President Donald Trump’s life over a post on Instagram depicting seashells spelling out “86 47,” according to a document released by the Department of Justice. “Eighty-six” is slang for “cancel” or “remove.”
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“James Comey disgracefully encouraged a threat on President Trump’s life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see,” FBI Director Kash Patel said at a press conference announcing the indictment. This will be the second time the Trump administration has taken Comey to court: He was indicted last year for lying to Congress over his conduct in the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails. Those charges were ultimately dismissed by the judge hearing the case.
Comey has denied that he is guilty of any crime. “I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary,” he said Tuesday.
The indictment follows just three days after a gunman attempted to break into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to assassinate Trump.
