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Former FBI Director James Comey trotted onto Meet the Press this week to declaim innocence, scold the acting attorney general, and insist the courts will sort everything out. That’s convenient, since he’s now facing a second federal indictment tied to an Instagram post — the infamous seashells that prosecutors say spelled “86 47.” In short: a TV defense tour while the courtroom clock ticks.
Comey’s TV Defense: Lecture Before the Courtroom
On national television, Comey rebuked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for talking about the case. He told Blanche to “bone up” on federal court rules and then declared his “complete faith” in the judicial system. It was a bold move. The former head of the FBI, who once made headlines for high-stakes decisions, now tells the Justice Department how to behave while a federal indictment waits in the wings.
86 47, the Indictment, and the Instagram Excuse
The criminal case centers on a deleted Instagram photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47,” which prosecutors allege was a serious expression of intent to harm the 47th president. Comey shrugged it off as the post of an “awkward, nerdy dad.” If that explanation sounds small, remember: the government sees it as part of a larger body of evidence gathered over months. Deleting a post doesn’t erase a trail — and a TV defense doesn’t make an indictment disappear.
He Defends 2016 and Dodges Responsibility
Welker pressed Comey about reopening the Hillary Clinton email probe in 2016. Comey admitted it hurt but insisted he’d do it again. That answer still won’t satisfy many on either side. It’s worth noting the irony: a man who last decade took actions that changed an election now lectures others about political weaponization of the Justice Department. You can call it principled; others will call it convenient selective memory.
Why Voters Should Watch the Courthouse, Not the Cable Channel
This interview was a reminder that media appearances are not trials. Comey can call the DOJ “broken at the top” and demand fairness, but fairness requires equal accountability. If the law is to mean anything, the same standards must apply to everyone — no special lectures from television, no soft treatment because the speaker used to hold a badge. Watch the courtroom. That’s where the facts matter more than the headlines and more than the performances.
