Comey declares innocence after court appearance on charges he threatened Trump

Former FBI Director James Comey declared his innocence April 29 after appearing in federal court on charges that he threatened the life of President Donald Trump. 

Comey was indicted April 28 by a federal grand jury in North Carolina and turned himself in April 29 on two charges — threatening the life of the President and transmitting threats across state lines. The charges stem from an Instagram post Comey made last May showing seashells arranged on a North Carolina beach to form the numbers "86 47." 

>> Arrest warrant issued for James Comey after he is indicted for Instagram post allegedly threatening Trump << 

As Zeale News reported, "86" is a slang term meaning to get rid of, remove, or, in some usages, kill. The number "47" apparently refers to Trump, who is serving as the 47th president. Comey took the post down after backlash.

"I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's go," Comey said in an April 28 video statement released just after he was indicted.

He called the prosecution inconsistent with American values. "This is not who we are as a country. This is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be," he said. "The good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith."

Trump told reporters at the White House April 29 that he viewed the number "86" as a clear threat. "People think of it as something having to do with disappearing, but the mob uses that term to say when they want to kill somebody," he said.

According to Reuters, Comey did not speak during the initial hearing. Members of his family entered the courthouse shortly before the proceeding began. Judge William Fitzpatrick of the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Comey released without special conditions, and his next court appearance is expected in North Carolina.

Blanche answers objections 

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the indictment in a CBS Mornings interview, rejecting claims of selective prosecution and political motivation.

Asked whether the Justice Department had proof Comey knowingly threatened the President, Blanche pointed to the indictment itself. "That is not the Department of Justice charging James Comey with a crime," he said. "That is a grand jury returning a two-count indictment." 

He said the FBI, Secret Service, and U.S. Attorney's Office had been investigating Comey since May of last year, but denied that Trump had directed him to pursue the case. "Of course not,” he said. “Absolutely, positively not." 

Blanche also rejected the notion that the charges were politically driven. "Anybody that tries to put forward some narrative that this is just about seashells is missing the point," he said. "You cannot threaten the President of the United States."

He declined to predict a conviction. "Mr. Comey will get his day in court," Blanche said.