Former FBI Director James Comey surrendered to authorities on Wednesday to face a charge alleging that an image he briefly shared on social media posed a threat to the life of President Donald Trump.
It stems from an Instagram post shared by Comey, which contained an image of seashells on a beach arranged to read "86 47". "Eighty-six" is a slang term for "get rid of", and prosecutors allege it encourages violence against Trump, the 47th president.
Comey denies any wrongdoing, saying he did not know what the numbers meant, and accused the prosecution of political motivation.
This marks the second time the justice department has brought criminal charges against Comey, a longtime critic of Trump.
Comey did not speak during his brief appearance at a Virginia court, but his attorney said the former director would argue the case was a vindictive prosecution, or punishment for speaking out against Trump, Reuters reported.
