{"id":3835,"date":"2026-07-27T23:37:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3835"},"modified":"2026-07-27T23:37:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:37:05","slug":"james-comey-says-trump-threat-case-could-chill-free-speech-seeks-dismissal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3835","title":{"rendered":"James Comey says Trump threat case could chill free speech, seeks dismissal"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!--[--><!-- AiSummaryComponent.html --><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><svg><title>Key Takeaways<\/title><defs><lineargradient><\/lineargradient><\/defs><\/svg><\/p>\n<div>Key Takeaways<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Read our AI Policy.<\/p>\n<ul><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<li>Comey moves to dismiss federal charges claiming his Instagram post was protected speech.<\/li>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<li>His attorneys argue the indictment penalizes a political slogan rather than a true threat.<\/li>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<li>Filing says thousands sold \u201c86 47\u201d items but government singled out Comey for prosecution<\/li>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Former FBI Director James Comey Jr. is asking a federal judge to dismiss the criminal case accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump, arguing that the prosecution endangers  free speech by treating a political message as a criminal threat.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3833\">With 160 mph winds, Hurricane Genevieve expected to bring 11-foot waves to SoCal<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile the indictment fails on its face to allege a true threat, the background to this prosecution underscores the danger to free speech that it poses,\u201d states a 42-page brief on the motion filed Monday.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The motion and supporting brief mark Comey\u2019s first formal attempt  to have a judge dismiss the two federal charges against him.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The case stems from a May 2025 Instagram post in which Comey shared a photo of seashells arranged to read \u201c86 47\u201d that he said he found on a North Carolina beach. Comey has said he did not intend the post as a threat and removed it after learning others interpreted it that way. A North Carolina grand jury indicted Comey on April 28 on two felony charges: threatening the president and transmitting a threat across state lines. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Comey\u2019s attorneys argue in the documents filed Monday that the Instagram post was neither intended nor could it reasonably be interpreted as a true threat against the president. Instead, they argue, the indictment targets a frequent Trump critic and threatens the bedrock principle that Americans are free to criticize government officials.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cForcing Mr. Comey to stand trial for a statement opposing the President \u2014 even if he is ultimately acquitted \u2014 would itself be an unconstitutional punishment of free speech,\u201d the brief states. \u201cAnd it would invite future prosecutions by the Executive Branch against perceived political enemies for their opposition to the President.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<h2>Comey called local police chief, agreed to be interviewed by Secret Service<\/h2>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>When Comey encountered the seashells spelling out \u201c86 47,\u201d he didn\u2019t know who created it, but he thought it was a clever way of expressing political opposition to Trump, and he posted it to his Instagram account with about 200,000 followers, the brief states.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Many online retailers have sold items with the term \u201c86 47\u201d referring to Trump the 47th president, as well as \u201c86 46\u201d referring to former President Joe Biden, the brief states. After the post, Trump and some of his supporters immediately attacked him, the brief states. Trump said the post was \u201ccalling for assassination of the president,\u201d the brief states. Comey deleted the post within hours. He then shared a second post on Instagram that said he didn\u2019t realize that some people associated \u201c86 47\u201d with violence. \u201cIt never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took it down,\u201d Comey wrote.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>He also contacted a local police chief about the controversy and agreed to be interviewed by the Secret Service that night or the next day, the brief states.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3831\">Kim Davis accused of hiding inheritance to avoid paying gay couple $565K judgment<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<h2>About the Comey brief<\/h2>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>About a year after Comey deleted the post, a North Carolina grand jury charged him with knowingly making a threat to kill or harm the president. The brief filed Monday, argues that the post wasn\u2019t a threat but \u201cpolitical hyperbole,\u201d which the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized as protected speech.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cCourts have regularly dismissed indictments alleging statements far more \u2018threatening\u2019 than Mr. Comey\u2019s social media post, and the same result is warranted here,\u201d the brief states.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Even if someone incorrectly interpreted the post as a threat, there is \u201cno serious expression\u201d that Comey intended to commit violence against the president, which is required for a \u201ctrue threat\u201d to exist, the brief states.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<h2>What is next in the James Comey case?<\/h2>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said the brief makes strong points about how the Comey indictment could chill free speech if it moves forward. It also highlights the implausibility of Comey engaging or encouraging violence, which he has never done, Tobias said.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Next steps include prosecutors responding to the brief, and the judge deciding on Comey\u2019s motion based on the written arguments or possibly calling for a hearing, Tobias said.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The government\u2019s response could include the evidence that officials have said they gathered in a year-long investigation, or it could possibly be sealed for just the judge to review. It would be unusual for District Court Judge Louise Flanagan to dismiss the charges at this stage, but it has happened, Tobias said. Under a schedule set by Flanagan, all pre-trial motions are due by Tuesday. Responses are due by Aug. 18 and then Sept. 1.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Comey\u2019s arraignment, a hearing in which he would plead guilty or not guilty, is set for Sept. 30 at the federal courthouse in New Bern. If the case proceeds to a jury trial, it is scheduled to begin Oct. 21.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3829\">Trump admin\u2019s proposed prediction market rule faces public pushback<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<div> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"fullscreen\" height=\"792\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.documentcloud.org\/documents\/28516897-comeybriefontruethreat\/?embed=1\" style=\"border: 1px solid #d8dee2; border-radius: 0.5rem; width: 100%; height: 100%; aspect-ratio: 612 \/ 792\" width=\"612\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><!-- --><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former FBI Director James Comey argues his \u201c86 47\u201d Instagram post was protected political speech, not a \u201ctrue threat\u201d against President Trump.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-north-carolina"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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