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The second indictment of James Comey is not only absurd, but extremely disturbing.
Trying to prosecute a man who threatened the President’s life by posting a picture of seashells?
After the previous, much broader indictment against the fired FBI director despised by President Donald Trump was thrown out of court?
But don’t take my word for it:
James Comey charged over alleged threats against Trump: DOJ
Former FBI Director James Comey was convicted of “86 47” social media posts. (Ralf Alswang/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
ABC’s Jonathan Karl: “Even Trump allies are privately calling it ‘shameful,’ or as a very prominent former Trump DOJ official told me last night, ‘disappointing.'”
National Review’s Andy McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor: “This farce, then, is nothing more than a continuation of Trump’s legal campaign against a political enemy. It is inconceivable that Comey could be convicted of a crime under these circumstances, but the president’s henchmen are putting him through the worry, expense, and stigma of the judicial process.”
Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley said on Fox: “I would have to be in a parallel universe to talk about James Comey’s rock art… Simply showing the picture would be a weak case in the context of the threat.”
“It will be thrown out. It’s classic revenge,” Ty Cobb, a first-term Trump White House counsel, told CNN.
Legal experts warn ’86 47′ indictment faces First Amendment hurdles
The collection of seashells, which Comey said he found on a North Carolina beach, said 86 47. In restaurant parlance, 86 means getting rid of the customer or the dish, not killing them. And other numbers refer to the 47th president. It was a very bad decision for Comey to post the photo on his Instagram account.
But after the outcry, Comey removed the posting and said he did not intend to suggest political violence in any way.
“I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid and I still believe in an independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” Comey said after the new charges were filed.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche denied that President Donald Trump ordered him to bring the indictments. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
It’s no secret at this point that the Justice Department has become an aggressive player in Trump’s retaliation campaign. One reason for Pam Bondi’s removal as Attorney General was that she was unhappy with the pace of the investigation.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch yesterday denied that the President had ordered him to bring the charges. “Anyone who tries to put forward some story that it’s just about shells or something to the contrary is missing the point,” he told CBS. “You cannot threaten the President of the United States.”
But Trump didn’t need to make a secret phone call to demand impeachment. He speaks openly about those he considers enemies, such as Letitia James. He said he was glad when former special prosecutor Bob Mueller died.
In the past, Trump has called Comey “scum,” “slimeball” and a “lying crook.”
Trump told reporters yesterday that 86 “is a mob term for killing them, you know? Have you ever seen the movies?” The mobster tells one of his amazing associates, “’86 ‘M’.”
Asked by CNN’s Kaitlyn Collins if he thought his life was in danger, Trump said, “Possibly.”
“I think people like Comey pose a tremendous threat to politicians and other people. You know, Comey is a dirty cop, he’s a very dirty cop… He’s a crooked guy.”
Other presidents might have declined to comment on an ongoing criminal trial, but he’s not Donald Trump.
Former FBI agent says Comey’s charges based on evidence of intent and jury’s interpretation
Trump remained silent on the impeachment. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The first indictment, last September, came after Secret Service agents tracked down the former FBI chief. It included allegations of leaking to Congress and lying, but Tuesday’s separate version concerns only the shell photo.
Trump’s defenders say he was charged with four criminal counts during his first term. Therefore, in his view, it is fair payment.
But during the campaign I forgot how many times Trump told me “the best revenge will be success.”
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Instead, he has gone after political opponents, law firms, news organizations and others with a vengeance.
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These efforts have so far fallen short in court. The Comey impeachment is so sweeping that even most conservative legal commentators are not defending it.
