Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday that the case brought by the Department of Justice against former FBI Director James Comey goes beyond the seashell photo posted on Instagram.
“This is not just about a single Instagram post,” Blanche told NBC News’ “Meet the Press”. “This is about a body of evidence that prosecutors collected over the series of about 11 months. That evidence was presented to the grand jury.”
“At the trial — a public trial that will be open to the public — everybody in this country will know exactly what evidence the government has against Mr. Comey,” Blanche added.
Comey was indicted last week on charges of making threats against President Donald Trump related to a photograph he posted on social media last year of seashells arranged in the numbers “86 47.”
The Justice Department, Trump, and MAGA supporters argue that those numbers amounted to a threat against the president.
“Well, if anybody knows anything about crime, they know 86 — you know what 86 — it’s a mob term for kill him,” Trump told reporters last week.
However, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary explains that the term “86” dates back to the 1930s and referred to an item at a soda counter being sold out. The term is now commonly used in the hospitality industry when an item is sold out or to refuse service to someone who is too drunk. It’s also informally used to mean “cancel” or “get rid of.”
Asked on Sunday if individuals selling or buying “86 47” merch on Amazon should face prosecution, Blanche appeared to undermine the DOJ case against Comey.
“Of course not. That’s posted constantly. That phrase is used constantly,” he said, adding that additional investigations are needed.
