Federal prosecutors want to throw the book at former FBI Director James Comey in their seashells-based case — including his own crime novel.In court filings defending their controversial criminal case against the frequent critic and target of President Donald Trump, prosecutors in North Carolina say Comey’s book “FDR Drive” bolsters their argument that a picture he posted on Instagram of seashells on the shore arranged to say “8647” constituted a “true threat” against the president’s life.Trump is the 47th president.
The documents filed Tuesday describe the book, which was released days after the post, as focusing on a prosecutor pursuing a “far-right wing media personality” whose foes are being killed after “he singled out his enemies by name and suggested ‘something should be done’ about them.”While Comey is a former prosecutor and Trump has been repeatedly accused of inspiring death threats and harassment of people he’s complained about online, the filing compares Comey to his book’s villain.The Justice Department has accused James Comey of threatening President Donald Trump in this Instagram post.@comey via Instagram“On May 15, 2025, a charismatic leader named James Comey, through the wonder of the internet, posted a coded message to his followers meaning ‘kill’ or ‘get rid of’ (a euphemism for ‘kill’) President Trump,” the filing says.
The government also used the book to push back against Comey’s argument that he’s a target of selective or vindictive prosecution, given the prevalence of “8647,” “8646” and “8645” apparel and other items for sale online.Comey’s filing had noted there were over 200,000 items on sale with the messages on Amazon — and no evidence the government was pursuing charges against any buyers or sellers.
Prosecutors said “not every statement containing the phrase ‘8647’ is equal,” and pointed to the “surrounding context.”“Comey published a novel where th...