Rep. Jim Jordan accused former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday of committing multiple offenses, including what he described as a threat against President Donald Trump.
Jordan made the comments during an interview with Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer while discussing a social media controversy involving Comey.
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“So this is what he posted on Instagram then took it down: 86-47,” Hemmer said. “As we all know, 86 is an old phrase for get rid of someone.”
Hemmer referenced Comey’s explanation that the image was simply something he noticed while walking on a beach in North Carolina.
Jordan rejected that explanation and argued the post carried a threatening meaning.
“Well, it’s is a crime to threaten the president. 18 USC Section 871. So you can’t do that. And he obviously did,” Jordan said.
“Now, he tries to tell us No, no, no. He was just strolling on the beach one morning drinking his coffee and the good lord washed up on shore and the shells formed 86-47 and he took a picture of it,” Jordan said.
“OK, that’s his story. I don’t think anyone buys that,” he added.
Jordan then broadened his criticism, tying the controversy to Comey’s role in the early Trump-Russia investigation.
“But you can’t threaten the president,” Jordan said. “I think it’s important to remember this is Jim Comey who started it all.”
“This 10-year attack on the president of the United States, on President Trump started with Comey,” he continued.
Jordan accused Comey of using the Steele dossier during the surveillance investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign.
“Remember, he took the dossier that he knew was garbage,” Jordan said. “He’s the guy who took it to the secret court to get the warrant to spy on President Trump’s campaign.”
Jordan also accused Comey of leaking sensitive material.
“The guy who leaked the memos and leaked classified information through his buddy Daniel Richman to the press,” Jordan said.
“So this is that guy,” he added. “And now he tells us, ‘Oh, I didn’t do anything wrong’ when we all know what this means.”
Comey has not been charged in connection with the social media post, and authorities have not publicly announced any criminal action tied to Jordan’s claims.
A federal judge has been assigned to preside over fired Comey’s case after the Justice Department issued new charges against him late last month.
U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan of the Eastern District of North Carolina was appointed by George W. Bush and is considered to be right-leaning, according to Ballotpedia.
Flanagan received a random case assignment on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted Comey on charges alleging that he threatened Trump by posting a photo on Instagram that featured seashells arranged in an “86 47” pattern in May 2025.
She has presided over thousands of cases throughout her tenure as an Article III judge. The U.S. Senate confirmed her as a federal district court judge in July 2003.
In an interview last weekend, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made it clear that Comey’s indictment was the result of a year-long investigation and had much more to it than his seashells photo posted to Instagram.
“Every case requires an investigation, and what you just showed is one part of that investigation. What you just showed is the Instagram post,” he told Fox News.
“Rest assured that the career Assistant United States Attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career Secret Service agents that investigated this case didn’t just look at the Instagram post and walk away,” he continued.
“That’s why you saw an indictment last week, notwithstanding the fact that it was last May that the post was made. So I am not permitted to get into details of what the grand jury heard or found, as you know, but rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted,” Blanche added.