Comey Seeks Dismissal of Charges Accusing Him of Threatening Trump

James B. Comey, the former FBI director, asked a judge on Monday to dismiss the indictment accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump with an Instagram post showing seashells arranged to spell “86 47.” His filing argues prosecutors are misusing criminal law to punish free speech, saying the numbers do not carry a violent meaning. Comey’s legal team contends “86” simply means “get rid of” or “eject,” not a mafia code for killing. The charges, filed in North Carolina in April, allege Comey made a threat to take Trump’s life or inflict bodily harm. The new motion is focused on whether the photo amounted to a “true threat” under a 2023 Supreme Court standard. A judge recently ruled similarly in a related case involving “8647.”