Federal officials, apparently acting without a warrant, tracked former FBI Director James Comey from North Carolina to Virginia after he posted photos of seashells spelling out “86 47” last year, Comey’s attorneys allege.
Newly released federal court filings also outline how President Donald Trump was following the investigation into his longtime critic from Air Force One, how investigators interviewed Gambino crime family member “Sammy the Bull,” as well as searches of “86” in FBI databases, ChatGPT and Merriam Webster dictionary online in their effort to build a case against Comey.
The defense’s filing is part of Comey’s effort to have the case dismissed on several grounds, including selective and vindictive prosecution, and that the photo of shells does not represent a true threat, falling well within First Amendment protections.
According to a Secret Service email at the time, Comey was interviwed by phone the day he posted the photo in May 2025. During the call, Comey agreed to travel back from North Carolina to the DC area for a second interview.
A special agent in charge at the Secret Service had asked agents if it was possible to track Comey’s phone, according to the email, but the agent said it was a “bad idea” because they would need to “declare an exigency exemption.”
