James Comey’s lawyers say US government distorted details in seashell case

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff and The Associated Press, reported that lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey have asked a court to throw out a criminal case over an Instagram post showing seashells arranged as “86 47.” Prosecutors say the numbers amounted to a reference to killing President Donald Trump, the 47th president. Comey’s lawyers said in filings Tuesday that the case contains misconduct, including omitted information and false statements, and is driven by political retaliation.

The charges, brought in April, include threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Al Jazeera reported that Comey denies any violent meaning in the post. The article noted that “86” can mean to remove or cancel something, including in restaurant slang, while prosecutors argue the phrase can carry criminal implications. If convicted, Comey could face up to 10 years in prison.

According to the report, Comey’s defence team said discovery showed prosecutors and FBI agents searched for evidence tying “86” to criminal activity, including in files linked to suspected gangster John Gambino, a case Comey worked on earlier in his career, but found no such reference. The lawyers allege those failed efforts were left out of search warrant applications and that the omissions undermined probable cause.

The case is politically significant because Trump has long criticized Comey, whom he fired in 2017 while the FBI was investigating possible links between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Al Jazeera also placed the case in the context of other Trump-era prosecutions of critics, including prior cases involving Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.