U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan delayed James Comey’s arraignment until January and said his trial on a charge of threatening President Donald Trump will not begin until 2027. The case stems from Comey’s Instagram photo of “8647” written in seashells.
Federal prosecutors say the photo threatened Trump: they said “86” is often restaurant shorthand for “get rid of” and “47” could refer to Trump as the 47th U.S. president. Comey’s lawyers sought dismissal, arguing the image was not a “true threat,” and also asked for more time. Flanagan cited pending motions and the defense’s need to prepare in granting a continuance.
Comey has said Trump is targeting him because of his criticism. The article says this is the second time a grand jury has indicted Comey during Trump’s second term after Trump claimed he had committed a crime; a judge dismissed the earlier case in November.
