{"id":2596214,"date":"2026-04-28T15:20:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-comey-indicted-for-a-second-time\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:22:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:22:57","slug":"james-comey-indicted-for-a-second-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-comey-indicted-for-a-second-time\/","title":{"rendered":"James Comey indicted for a second time"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjames-comey-indicted-for-a-second-time%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2596214&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Justice Department is reportedly indicting former FBI Director James comey for a second time within months, this time tied to a now-deleted Instagram post from last summer. Multiple reports say a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/missouri-man-charged-with-threatening-to-murder-2-us-congressmen\/\" title=\"Missouri Man Charged With Threatening to Murder 2 US Congressmen\">federal grand jury<\/a> in North Carolina indicted him over a photo of seashells arranged in sand that spelled \u201c86 47,\u201d which critics interpreted as a veiled threat or reference to \u201cgetting rid of\u201d President Donald trump; the phrase is also used on the political left in a similar way.<\/p>\n<p>After the post became public, federal agencies-including the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service-reportedly opened an investigation and even visited Comey\u2019s home.Comey has said he did not realize the message could be associated with violence and claimed he took the post down once it was brought to his attention.<\/p>\n<p>Trump and others reacted sharply, with Trump arguing Comey \u201cknew exactly what that meant\u201d and that it implied assassination. The indictment is described as coming shortly after DOJ charged another man, Cole Allen, with attempting to assassinate Trump over a plot allegedly involving harm to officials at a White House Correspondents\u2019 Association event.<\/p>\n<p>The article also notes that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche attributed recent political violence partly to aggressive or inflammatory rhetoric by media and on the left, and it mentions Trump previously pushed for comey to be prosecuted. Comey\u2019s earlier indictment in september 2025-over alleged lying to Congress related to leaks to the press-was dismissed by a judge due to problems with the appointment of the interim U.S. attorney leading the case.<\/p>\n<p>the piece suggests the \u201ctrue threat\u201d legal standard from a 2023 Supreme Court decision could make securing a conviction more challenging, and it says the DOJ did not comment to a request but plans a press conference Tuesday.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> has reportedly indicted former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\/\">FBI<\/a> Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-comey\/\">James Comey<\/a> for a second time in the span of months, this time over a post he made on Instagram last summer that was widely perceived to have threatening connotations against President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>According to multiple reports, a federal grand jury in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\">North Carolina<\/a> indicted Comey over a since-deleted Instagram post in which he took a picture of seashells in the sand that spelled \u201c86 47,\u201d with the caption, \u201cCool shell formation on my beach walk.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4546253\/dan-bongino-fbi-scared-prison-hannity\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Bongino says he\u2019s \u2018scared\u2019 of winding up in federal prison: \u2018They\u2019re coming for me\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4546219\/judge-excoriates-elon-musk-posting-about-openai-case-threatens-gag-order\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Judge excoriates Musk for posting about OpenAI case and threatens gag order<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4546081\/virginia-supreme-court-keeps-block-on-redistricting\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Virginia Supreme Court keeps block on redistricting while it weighs new congressional map\u2019s fate<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Allies of the president and other critics of Comey saw the arrangement in the sand as a call to \u201cnix\u201d or \u201cget rid\u201d of Trump; the slogan \u201c86 47\u201d has become popular on the Left. The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/secret-service\/\">U.S. Secret Service<\/a> promptly started an investigation and even visited Comey\u2019s residence during the fallout from his online post.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as \u201ca hit\u201d on the sitting President of the United States\u2014a message etched in the sand.<\/p>\n<p>This is deeply concerning to all of us and is\u2026 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RF0Dl3t1JF\">pic.twitter.com\/RF0Dl3t1JF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Taylor47\/status\/1923128430415184173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 15, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Comey previously said he was unaware that the message in the post could be associated with violence, saying, \u201cIt never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump responded during a Fox News interview that Comey \u201cknew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If you\u2019re the FBI director and you don\u2019t know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear,\u201d Trump <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3413746\/trump-comey-8647-social-media-post-assassination-threat\/\">said<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cThat meant assassination.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The indictment comes just one day after the DOJ charged <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4544489\/cole-allen-faces-charges-attempt-to-assassinate-trump\/\">Cole Allen<\/a> with attempting to assassinate the president over the weekend at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house-correspondents-association\/\">White House Correspondents\u2019 Association<\/a> dinner, where he allegedly plotted to kill administration officials \u201cfrom\u00a0highest-ranking to\u00a0lowest.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed members of the media on Monday when asked why he believed there had been a rash of political violence in recent years, noting two prior attempts on Trump, along with acts of violence against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a National Guard member killed in Washington, D.C., and others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you have reporters, when you have the media just being overly critical and calling the president horrible names for no reason and without evidence, without proof, it shouldn\u2019t surprise us that this type of rhetoric takes place,\u201d Blanche said, referring to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chinese-japan-embassy-tweets-u-s-as-death-carrying-blood-soaked-israeli-flag-scythe\/\" title=\"Chinese Japan Embassy Tweets U.S. As Death, Carrying Blood-Soaked Israeli Flag Scythe\">increasingly aggressive rhetoric<\/a> on the Left and in the media that frequently likens Trump and his team to murderous dictators.<\/p>\n<p>Trump previously pushed former Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\">Pam Bondi<\/a> to move quickly to indict Comey, who has been accused of playing a key role in Democrat-backed efforts to use the justice system for partisan advantage during Trump\u2019s first term in office and after.<\/p>\n<p>Comey was indicted in September 2025 on charges of lying to Congress over leaks to the press. The case was dismissed last year by a federal judge who found that interim U.S. Attorney <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4409392\/halligan-ordered-to-defend-not-giving-up-us-attorney-job\/\">Lindsey Halligan<\/a>, who was leading the case, was unlawfully appointed because she was not confirmed by the Senate and had exceeded the allotted number of days in the job.<\/p>\n<p>Critics of Comey have argued that several aspects of his time in government warrant criminal investigation, including the misuse of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants during the FBI\u2019s 2016 election investigation of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4545760\/fbi-raid-minneapolis-facilities-fraud-probe\/\">FBI RAIDS NEARLY TWO DOZEN MINNEAPOLIS FACILITIES AS PART OF SWEEPING FRAUD INVESTIGATION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The case involving the Instagram post could be more difficult to secure a conviction on, if not for the 2023 Supreme Court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2580207\/how-supreme-court-stalker-ruling-may-raise-burden-on-doj-in-trump-jan-6-investigation-2\/\">precedent<\/a> that elevated the standard for proving a statement or action made is a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3810436\/pam-bondi-limited-ability-prosecute-hate-speech-legal-experts\/\">\u201ctrue threat.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment, though the department is holding a press conference at 4 p.m. Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p><em>This is a developing story and will be updated.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ reportedly indicts James Comey again over threats in Instagram post<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2596215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25321685249114.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[15074,51149,33118,32640],"class_list":["post-2596214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-indictment","tag-james-comey","tag-legal-proceedings","tag-trump-administration"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25321685249114.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2596214"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2596218,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596214\/revisions\/2596218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2596215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2596214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2596214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2596214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}