Prosecutor Steps Off Comey Case As Legal Challenges Mount

The indictment stems from an Instagram post made by Comey that featured seashells arranged on a beach to form the numbers “86 47.”

Federal prosecutors argued that a reasonable person could interpret the message as a threat directed toward Trump, the nation’s 47th president.

According to the indictment, the post represented “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.”

The charging document itself does not explicitly define the meaning of the numbers.

The number “86” is commonly used as slang meaning to remove, eliminate or get rid of something, while “47” is widely viewed as a reference to Trump’s position as the 47th president.

The case marks the second attempt by federal prosecutors to bring criminal charges against Comey.