INTERNACIONAL
Legal experts warn Comey ‘86 47’ indictment faces First Amendment hurdles
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Legal questions are emerging over whether charges against former FBI Director James Comey would withstand a First Amendment challenge as he is indicted for a social media post allegedly tied to threats against President Donald Trump.
Comey faced charges Tuesday under 18 U.S.C. § 871, which criminalizes threats against the president, and 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), which covers interstate communications containing threats to harm others.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Fox News Digital just before the indictment was released that, if the case is based solely on the widely circulated image posted by Comey, it could face steep constitutional hurdles.
«If Comey is charged for the shell picture, it would face a monumental challenge under the First Amendment,» Turley said. «In my view, the image itself is clearly protected speech. Absent some other unknown facts or elements, it would be unlikely to survive a threshold constitutional challenge.»
JAMES COMEY INDICTED AGAIN IN NEW JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROBE
Both statutes require prosecutors to prove not only that a statement constituted a «true threat,» but that it was made knowingly and with intent, standards that legal analysts say could prove difficult to meet based on publicly available information.
The indictment was filed Tuesday in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where Comey allegedly posted the image of seashells forming the numbers «86 47» during a beach walk.
Others pushed back on the idea that the case raises significant First Amendment concerns, arguing that threats against a sitting president fall squarely outside protected speech.
«The third assassination attempt against President Trump on Saturday made this crystal clear: The Justice Department must prosecute those who threaten to assassinate the president,» said Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project.
«No one has a First Amendment right to do this. No one is above the law, especially not a former director of the FBI who should know better. A jury of James Comey’s peers will decide his fate.»
That argument comes amid heightened concerns about threats against Trump after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. A suspect has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
Prosecutors allege that the post would be interpreted by a «reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances» as a serious expression of intent to harm the president, signaling they intend to rely heavily on context surrounding the message rather than explicit language alone.
The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, W. Ellis Boyle, will oversee the case. Boyle was appointed in 2025 and sworn in by his father, a longtime federal judge in the district, after being selected for the role by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Legal questions are emerging over whether expected charges against former FBI Director James Comey would withstand a First Amendment challenge. (Pete Marovich/Bloomberg)
The indictment marks the second time Comey has been charged during the second Trump administration.
In 2025, he was indicted on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding tied to his testimony in the FBI’s Russia probe. That case was later dismissed after a federal judge ruled the prosecutor in the case had been unlawfully appointed.
Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017, has long been a polarizing figure in U.S. politics, drawing criticism from both parties over his handling of the Clinton email investigation and the FBI’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential links between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.
He was fired by Trump in 2017 amid escalating tensions tied in part to the Russia investigation.
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The expected charges stem from a social media post in which Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to form the numbers «86 47,» which some critics interpreted as a coded threat against Trump. The post drew swift backlash and prompted an investigation.
James Comey posted a photo on Instagram showing him standing on a beach. (Fox News)
Former FBI Director James Comey appears in a courtroom sketch during his arraignment in Virginia Oct. 8, 2025. (Dana Verkouteren/Unknown)
Comey later said he did not intend the image to be interpreted as a call for violence.
«I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.»
His explanation could complicate prosecutors’ efforts to establish intent, a key element required under both statutes.
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Comey’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.
first amendment, fbi, donald trump, james comey, pam bondi, in court
INTERNACIONAL
“Por si me matan”: el video de Dereck McNeil que vuelve a poner bajo presión la investigación del caso Angie Peña
Un nuevo video atribuido a Dereck Isaac McNeil, testigo vinculado a investigaciones relacionadas con la desaparición de Angie Peña y asesinado posteriormente en Roatán, volvió a colocar bajo escrutinio la actuación de agentes de la Agencia Técnica de Investigación Criminal (Atic).
La grabación, que McNeil fecha verbalmente el 28 de octubre de 2025, comienza con una advertencia que hoy adquiere un peso particular: “Por si me matan”.
En el video, el fallecido menciona a varios agentes y funcionarios, a quienes atribuye supuestas irregularidades en investigaciones relacionadas con Angie Peña, los llamados Delta Teams y otros procesos criminales.
Pero existe una diferencia fundamental entre una acusación grabada y una prueba judicial.
Hasta ahora, las afirmaciones difundidas corresponden a la versión de McNeil y no demuestran por sí solas que los agentes señalados hayan manipulado evidencia, protegido estructuras criminales o cometido otros delitos.
Los nombres aparecen, pero falta saber qué fue investigado
McNeil menciona a Fernando Miguel Carvajal Nolasco, Rafael Enrique Ardón Rodríguez, Hansel Armando Castellón Irías, Edgar Andrés Jiménez Flores y Arturo Josué Claros Cortés.
Sobre algunos formula acusaciones directas, incluida una supuesta manipulación de información obtenida de teléfonos.
Esas declaraciones son graves precisamente porque afectan a funcionarios vinculados con tareas de investigación criminal.
La pregunta central ahora no es únicamente qué dijo McNeil frente a una cámara, sino si hizo esos mismos señalamientos formalmente ante fiscales o jueces, qué evidencia presentó y si las instituciones abrieron alguna investigación para comprobarlos o descartarlos.
El video no sustituye el testimonio judicial
McNeil aseguró también que personas vinculadas con los Delta Teams le habían ofrecido dinero para que no declarara y sostuvo que su intención era que “las cosas se esclarezcan”.
Ese señalamiento deberá diferenciarse de cualquier declaración anticipada que haya quedado incorporada formalmente dentro de una causa.
Si McNeil rindió testimonio anticipado ante autoridad competente, ese acto puede conservar valor procesal después de su muerte.
El video difundido públicamente es otra cosa.
Su existencia puede aportar una línea de investigación o revelar preocupaciones que tenía el testigo, pero su contenido no se transforma automáticamente en evidencia probada por haber sido grabado antes de su asesinato.
Angie Peña y los Delta Teams no son el mismo proceso
Otro punto importante es evitar mezclar expedientes.
La desaparición de Angie Peña, ocurrida el 1 de enero de 2022 en Roatán, continúa sin una respuesta definitiva sobre su paradero.
Los procesos contra personas vinculadas con los denominados Delta Teams involucran investigaciones por otros delitos y no equivalen, por sí solos, a un juicio que determine directamente qué ocurrió con Angie.
McNeil relacionó ambos asuntos dentro de sus declaraciones, pero esa conexión también necesita respaldo probatorio.
El hecho de que McNeil fuera asesinado después de dejar grabaciones aumenta inevitablemente el interés sobre sus advertencias.
Sin embargo, la secuencia temporal tampoco demuestra que lo hayan matado por lo que sabía del caso Angie Peña.
Ese vínculo debe ser establecido por una investigación criminal independiente.
Lo mismo ocurre con sus afirmaciones sobre otros testigos muertos o desaparecidos: señalar una posible conexión no equivale a demostrarla.
La pregunta que queda para el Estado
El video deja ahora varias interrogantes difíciles de ignorar.
¿Las autoridades conocían estas acusaciones antes de la muerte de McNeil? ¿Fueron investigadas? ¿Existía evidencia que respaldara alguno de sus señalamientos? ¿Qué parte de la información que entregó quedó preservada dentro de expedientes judiciales?
Después de su asesinato, McNeil ya no puede ser interrogado sobre esas afirmaciones.
Por eso, el verdadero peso de sus grabaciones dependerá menos de lo impactante de sus palabras y más de cuánto de lo que dijo pueda ser corroborado con documentos, testimonios, peritajes y evidencia independiente.
Corresponsal:Desde Tegucigalpa, Honduras
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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., delivered a surprise video message at the GOP midterm convention Wednesday night, praising President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Dave McCormick while rejecting what he described as the Democratic Party’s «extremes and socialism.»
«I’m a commonsense Democrat. I’m always going to stand with America,» Fetterman said. «I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.»
Fetterman introduced McCormick, who is seeking re-election to the Senate, as «the kind of senator that gets the job done» and someone who will «fight for Pennsylvania.»
FETTERMAN LEANS ON UNLIKELY GOP ALLY AS DEMS SHARPEN THEIR KNIVES OVER EXPLOSIVE REPORT
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has increasingly broken with Democratic leaders while embracing bipartisan ties with Republicans. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Standing in front of an iconic U.S. steel mill, Fetterman said he was proud to work with McCormick and Trump to defend Pennsylvania’s steel industry, which remains a central part of the state’s economic and political identity.
«That’s exactly the kind of thing that we will work together and will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley,» Fetterman said.
The message was notable because Fetterman is a sitting Democratic senator appearing at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention, where Trump is expected to rally GOP voters ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.
His appearance also highlighted his increasingly strained relationship with Democratic leaders and the party’s left wing. Fetterman has repeatedly broken with Democrats on issues including Israel, immigration and Trump’s military actions against Iran.
Senator Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump during the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (Brian Kaiser/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
He has remained one of the most outspoken Democratic supporters of Israel in the Senate and has criticized members of his party who have sought to limit U.S. support for the country. Fetterman has also backed tougher immigration enforcement and supported some Trump administration nominees, positions that have drawn criticism from Democrats.
Fetterman has said he would consider leaving the Democratic Party if it became «the anti-Israel party,» though he has not indicated that he plans to switch parties.
The senator’s relationship with McCormick has also fueled speculation about his political future. The two Pennsylvania senators previously faced one another in the 2022 Senate race, when Fetterman defeated Republican nominee Mehmet Oz and McCormick lost the GOP primary.
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Fetterman and McCormick have forged an unusually close bipartisan alliance, despite representing opposing parties and previously facing off in Pennsylvania’s 2022 Senate race. (Getty)
Since then, Fetterman and McCormick have developed an unusually close relationship. Their campaigns formed a bipartisan joint fundraising committee in July, an arrangement that drew attention because the two senators belong to opposing parties.
McCormick has also sought to emphasize his ties to Pennsylvania’s industrial base and his support for the state’s steel workers. Fetterman’s video allowed him to reinforce that message while presenting McCormick as a senator willing to work across party lines.
The appearance does not mean Fetterman is switching parties, but it is likely to intensify questions about whether he can maintain support from Democratic voters as he continues to align himself with Trump and Republican priorities.
It also gives Republicans a high-profile Democratic voice to showcase as they argue that the party’s coalition is expanding beyond traditional GOP voters.
«A different party,» Fetterman said of McCormick. «But I’m proud to count him as my great friend.»
republicans elections, john fetterman, politics, republican convention, donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Drone nearly strikes Zelenskyy’s plane before takeoff for Norwegian king’s funeral, PM says
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A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Norway for the king’s state funeral was «almost hit» by a drone as it prepared to take off from Moldova on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told public broadcaster NRK about the incident Wednesday, the outlet said, after Zelenskyy’s aircraft arrived safely in Oslo Tuesday evening.
«His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was about to take off from Moldova. That is the reality he is facing,» Støre said, without specifying how close the drone came to the Ukrainian leader’s aircraft.
GERMANY BLAMES RUSSIA AFTER EXPLOSIVE-LADEN DRONE FOUND NEAR UKRAINIAN CARGO PLANES AT MAJOR AIRPORT
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures during his meeting with Britain’s prime minister on the sideline of the G7 summit in Evian, eastern France, June 16, 2026. (Isabel Infantes Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Later Wednesday, a Moldovan government spokesperson said two Russian drones were involved in the incident, with Zelenskyy’s departure to Oslo delayed after authorities closed the country’s airspace.
His aircraft was then cleared for takeoff once officials determined that one Russian drone had landed on Moldovan territory, a spokesperson told Reuters.
REPORT WARNS RUSSIA USING SHADOW FLEET TO PROBE NATO DRONE DEFENSES
This photograph taken Jan. 5, 2026, shows a partial view of the village of Cuhurestii de Jos, Northern Moldova, close to the Ukrainian border. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images)
One landed in a field north of the capital, sparking a fire, while the other continued into Romanian airspace.
The incursions forced Chișinău International Airport to temporarily suspend arrivals and departures Tuesday, sending incoming flights into holding patterns or diverting them to neighboring countries, according to tracking data.
RUSSIA’S SHADOW WAR IS PUTTING EUROPE ON EDGE AS GERMANY CONFRONTS A GROWING THREAT
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Horacio Villalobos Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images; Contributor/Getty Images)
Moldovan President Maia Sandu denounced the incursions as a «serious threat to people’s lives» and separately condemned a Russian drone strike on a border crossing with Ukraine that killed two people.
Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo Tuesday evening, where he discussed military aid, including air defense support and civilian assistance with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, according to Deutsche Welle.
The Institute for the Study of War also said a Russian Shahed drone flew through Moldovan and Romanian airspace for about an hour Tuesday before crashing in Moldova.
drones, volodymyr zelenskyy, world, russia, news events, ukraine, national security
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