Acting Attorney General Defends Comey Indictment Over '86 47' Post

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the Justice Department's recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, emphasizing that the case is based on more than just Comey's 2025 social media post featuring the numbers '86 47'.

Blanche stated that the phrase '86 47' is 'posted constantly' and that not all such instances lead to indictments. He highlighted that the department has gathered additional evidence over an 11-month investigation, though he declined to specify its nature. 'Of course the seashells are part of that case,' Blanche noted, acknowledging the importance of proving intent in the prosecution. 'You prove intent with witnesses; you prove intent with documents,' he added, indicating a substantial body of evidence supporting the indictment.

Comey has maintained his innocence, asserting that he did not associate '86' with violence and referencing its origins in the restaurant industry, where it means to remove an item from the menu or eject a customer. He has expressed his intention to contest the charges.

Senator Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California, criticized the indictment, suggesting it is politically motivated. He remarked that the distinguishing factor in Comey's case is 'the fact that James Comey is a political opponent of the president; it's the fact that the president has called on him for prosecution; it's the fact that Todd Blanche wants to keep his job.' Schiff described the charges as 'deeply illegitimate' and anticipated that the case would be dismissed before reaching a jury.