Former FBI Director James Comey under investigation for post seen as a potential threat to Trump's life

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31. Maddow Blog-Team Trump finds an excuse to do what it's long wanted to do: investigate James Comey

Last edited Fri May 16, 2025, 05:48 PM - Edit history (2)

It’s possible that Republicans are sincerely outraged by the former FBI director's seashell code, but recent history suggests some skepticism is in order.
https://bsky.app/profile/stevebenen.com

When it comes to the manufactured apoplexy surrounding James Comey, it's worth remembering that Trump has spent years demanding investigations into the former FBI director.

His "8647" seashells on Instagram simply gave Team Trump an excuse to do it wanted to do anyway.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/team-trump-finds-excuse-s-long-wanted-investigate-james-comey-rcna207219

Nearly five years later, a similar story has emerged, and as NBC News reported, it’s generating an even more robust response.

The Department of Homeland Security and Secret Service are investigating a social media post by former FBI Director James Comey that several U.S. officials interpreted as calling for the assassination of President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday.

Evidently, Comey shared a photo on Instagram showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647.” Republican officials soon after responded with apoplexy, at which point the former FBI director — himself a lifelong Republican — deleted the post and said, “I didn’t realize some folks associate it with violence. That didn’t occur to me when I saw it but I am opposed to violence in all circumstances so I took it down.”

Comey added soon after that he simply assumed that the numbers “were a political message.”....

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard appeared on Fox News and said she wants to see Comey “put behind bars for this.” A variety of GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, scrambled to toe the party line and condemn the former FBI director.

Trump himself ultimately joined the parade, in predictably Trumpian fashion.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3lpc47zkqk22g

Link to tweet

......When the president first arrived in the White House eight years ago, he saw Comey as an ally — Trump appeared to literally blow a kiss at the then-FBI director at a White House event in January 2017 — thanks in part to Comey’s role in undermining Hillary Clinton’s 2016 candidacy. In time, however, Trump soured on Comey, and ultimately fired him in the hopes of derailing the FBI’s investigation into the president’s Russia scandal.

In the years that followed, Trump continued to target the former FBI director, accusing Comey of “treason,” and even calling for his prosecution over unidentified crimes.

As recently as a few months ago, just days after Trump loyalist Kash Patel was sworn in as the FBI’s newest director, the conservative Washington Times reported that the bureau had opened an investigation into Comey’s role in the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign.

In other words, Team Trump has long seen Comey as a villain who should be targeted and investigated. His since-deleted Instagram post appears to have given the president’s operation an excuse to do what it wanted to do anyway.

Comey is an idiot. Comey's press conference on the Clinton email investigation was unethical and got trump elected. Comey's stupidity may be a valid defense if charges are brought.