Political prosecution stories

Aug 19, 2026

Justice Department defends prosecution of James Comey over seashell social media post

The Justice Department filed a court brief defending its prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey for posting seashells arranged as '8647' on social media, which prosecutors say could be read as a threat against Trump.

Aug 19, 20263 sources

Top claims

▪U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle of the Eastern District of North Carolina filed an affidavit stating that no one ordered, directed, or pressured him to indict James Comey.
▪A federal judge dismissed James Comey's 2025 Virginia indictment in November 2025, ruling that prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed and lacked authority to obtain the indictment.
▪Then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel publicly supported U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle's decision to charge James Comey, delivering press remarks alongside Boyle on the day of the indictment.

People involved

Donald Trump

Subtopics

Social media regulation James Comey

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