{"id":2646940,"date":"2026-08-19T12:13:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-trump-influence-behind-86-47-prosecution-of-james-comey-doj\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T12:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:15:11","slug":"no-trump-influence-behind-86-47-prosecution-of-james-comey-doj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-trump-influence-behind-86-47-prosecution-of-james-comey-doj\/","title":{"rendered":"No Trump influence behind &#8217;86 47&#8242; prosecution of James Comey: DOJ"},"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\">22<\/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%2Fno-trump-influence-behind-86-47-prosecution-of-james-comey-doj%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=2646940&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>Federal prosecutors stated that the decision to charge former FBI Director James Comey over a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >social media post featuring seashells arranged<\/a> as &#8220;86 47&#8221; was made independently, without influence from President Donald Trump or Justice Department leaders. The indictment originated from U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle of North Carolina, who decided to pursue charges without prior directives from higher officials. Comey attempted to portray the case as retaliation driven by Trump&#8217;s longstanding hostility, but prosecutors refuted this, asserting Boyle&#8217;s independent decision and that he only notified Attorney General Todd Blanche shortly before presenting the case to a grand jury.<\/p>\n<p>The controversy centered on comey&#8217;s Instagram post in May 2025, which included the &#8220;86 47&#8221; image. Critics interpreted this as a threatening message against trump,the 47th president,with &#8220;86&#8221; meaning to discard or refuse service in slang. Comey claimed ignorance of any violent connotation and denied making threats, but prosecutors argued that an objective viewer could interpret the post as a threat to kill Trump. They also linked the post to Comey&#8217;s upcoming novel, suggesting an attempt to generate publicity. <\/p>\n<p>Comey&#8217;s lawyers argue that the post was protected free speech and that investigators failed to prove intent to incite violence, accusing them of misconduct, including withholding evidence. The case is the second federal prosecution against Comey; a previous case for lying to Congress was dismissed. Comey is scheduled to be arraigned on September 30, with a trial set for October 21.  <\/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 class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision to charge 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> over a social media post showing seashells arranged as \u201c86 47\u201d was made without influence from President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> or <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\">Justice Department<\/a> leaders, federal prosecutors said in a court filing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/docket\/73256624\/united-states-v-comey\/?order_by=desc#entry-55\">more than 100 pages of court filings<\/a> added to the docket late Tuesday, the department said Ellis Boyle, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\">North Carolina<\/a>, independently decided to seek the indictment. The filing responded to Comey\u2019s effort to dismiss the case as a vindictive prosecution driven by Trump\u2019s longstanding hostility toward him.<\/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\/4692701\/no-trump-influence-behind-86-47-prosecution-of-james-comey-doj\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>No Trump influence behind \u201986 47\u2032 prosecution of James Comey: DOJ<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4691905\/who-can-qualify-trump-gun-rights-restoration-program\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Here\u2019s who can qualify for Trump\u2019s gun rights restoration program<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4691805\/doj-cyber-theft-campaign-iran-hackers\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ charges 17 with cyber theft on behalf of Iranian government<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Ellis Boyle, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of of N.C., right, speaks, while Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, looks on as they announce that former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted, at the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.  (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26118769615613.webp?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellis Boyle, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of of N.C., right, speaks, while Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, looks on as they announce that former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted, at the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.  (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cComey attempts to portray the decision to charge him as resulting from a directive by the President and\/or the Attorney General. That is simply false,\u201d prosecutors wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Boyle did not discuss the decision with Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/todd-blanche\/\">Todd Blanche<\/a> until the day before presenting the case to a grand jury, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.nced.227449\/gov.uscourts.nced.227449.53.0.pdf\">filing said<\/a>. Prosecutors said Boyle notified Blanche only because DOJ guidelines call for senior officials to be alerted to cases likely to generate publicity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo one ordered, directed, or pressured me or my office to continue the investigation,\u201d Boyle wrote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blanche, then serving as deputy attorney general, and FBI Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kash-patel\/\">Kash Patel<\/a> publicly supported the prosecution when the indictment was announced in April.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comey posted the photograph on Instagram in May 2025, then deleted it after critics said the numbers could be interpreted as a call for violence against Trump, the 47th president. The term \u201c86\u201d commonly means to discard, remove, or refuse service. It is also used as slang in the restaurant industry to indicate when a particular food item has run out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comey said he did not realize some people associated the expression with violence and has denied making a threat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prosecutors argued that an objective viewer could read the image as meaning \u201cKill President Trump.\u201d They said Comey\u2019s wife texted him a definition of \u201c86\u201d two minutes before the post and questioned his account that he happened upon the shells during a beach walk.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government also linked the post to publicity for Comey\u2019s then-forthcoming novel. According to the filing, Comey told his publishing agent he would be \u201cOK if it sells books\u201d after the image went viral.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAmong other reasons, at nearly the same time as the post in question, Comey published a novel where the antagonist successfully persuades his followers to kill his political rivals by communicating coded messages online,\u201d prosecutors wrote. \u201cNeedless to say, Comey does not and could not point to similar evidence in any comparator case\u2014let alone a threat against the sitting President of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comey\u2019s lawyers say the post was protected political speech and that investigators failed to establish he intended violence. They also accuse investigators of misleading judges, withholding relevant facts, and omitting evidence that undercut the government\u2019s theory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4680837\/fbi-investigated-then-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-one-day-after-comey-firing-declassified-documents\/\">FBI INVESTIGATED THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS ONE DAY AFTER COMEY\u2019S FIRING, DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS SHOW<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case is the second brought against Comey by the current DOJ. A separate prosecution accusing him of lying to Congress was dismissed last year after a judge identified problems involving the appointment of the U.S. attorney who brought it. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit is scheduled to hear oral arguments in mid-September on whether a federal judge erred in disqualifying the lead prosecutor handling the separate Comey indictment, as well as another indictment alleging mortgage fraud violations by New York Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/letitia-james\/\">Letitia James<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comey is scheduled to be arraigned in his threats case on Sept. 30. A tentative trial date is set for Oct. 21.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prosecutors: Comey&#8217;s charges made independently, no Trump influence<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2646941,"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\/2026\/07\/AP26208584153864.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[84380,7076,51149,10401,3634],"class_list":["post-2646940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-1986-2","tag-doj","tag-james-comey","tag-prosecution","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26208584153864.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646940","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=2646940"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646940\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646944,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646940\/revisions\/2646944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}