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Obama-era attorney flips script on Comey indictment naysayers with warning not to bury DOJ yet
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Legal experts are pushing back on skepticism surrounding the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, arguing the Department of Justice would not have brought the case without meeting key legal thresholds.
«Lots of folks are saying the case is going nowhere, but, way too early to reach that conclusion,» former Democratic U.S. Attorney John Fishwick, who served in Virginia during the Obama administration, said, cautioning against prematurely dismissing the case.
The indictment, brought last month in the Eastern District of North Carolina, alleged Comey, a longtime Trump nemesis, threatened the president and delivered interstate communications containing threats when he posted a photo on Instagram of seashells reading «8647» last year.
Free speech advocates and leftist critics pushed back against the indictment, accusing the DOJ of infringing on protected speech in the name of prosecuting one of Trump’s top political rivals. Comey, whom Trump fired as FBI director in 2017, has been outspoken against the president and profited off sales from his anti-Trump book, while Trump has said Comey is «guilty as hell» on social media and that he should face criminal charges.
BLANCHE TURNS THE TABLES ON COMEY INDICTMENT CRITICS: ‘REST ASSURED’ CASE GOES BEYOND INSTAGRAM POST
Former FBI director James Comey speaks before lawmakers after being indicted by the Justice Department. (Cheriss May/Getty Images)
«Comey is out for revenge against Trump and has publicly gone after Trump separately from the seashells,» Fishwick said, adding that Trump also publicly said he perceived the message as a threat.
Prosecutors must prove Comey’s intent and that the message constituted a «true threat,» a high legal bar that has fueled questions about whether the case can succeed, especially in the recent threat environment where Trump has now faced three alleged assassination attempts.
«You prove intent like you always prove intent,» acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on «Meet the Press» this weekend. «You prove intent with witnesses. You prove intent with documents, with materials. … This is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months.»
Chad Mizelle, former DOJ chief of staff, told Fox News Digital the legal standard for convicting Comey for threatening the president was high but that the indictment suggested there was underlying evidence.
«I don’t think the department would have secured the indictment without concrete evidence that Comey did knowingly and willfully threaten the president of the United States,» Mizelle said.
Mizelle noted evidence could take many forms, such as nonpublic text messages or emails.
«What was Comey’s intent when he said it?» Mizelle asked. «I suspect DOJ has evidence of that, and I’ll wager it’s not favorable to Comey.»
IN TRYING TO SECURE COMEY INDICTMENT, US PROSECUTORS HAVE SHORT WINDOW — AND A DIFFICULT CASE TO MAKE
Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for deputy attorney general, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2024, facing questions about Justice Department independence and Capitol riot investigations. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg)
The term «86» has been used as slang to get rid of someone or something, often in restaurants for an unavailable item or refused customer. Prosecutors alleged that, paired with «47» — a reference to Donald Trump as the 47th president — Comey’s post amounted to a threat.
Before serving as head of the FBI, Comey was a federal prosecutor and deputy attorney general for the Department of Justice.
Comey, «more than any American, knows not to make threats and what a threat looks like,» Fishwick said.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News: «This is a very smart guy. He knows what he’s doing. He’s nobody’s fool. … He knew exactly what he was doing, but hey he’s going to have his day in court.»
The DOJ secured the indictment from a grand jury days after a third alleged assassination attempt on Trump at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, a point Blanche has drilled down on as evidence that prosecuting threats to the president, regardless of who made them, is a top priority. Fishwick said the political violence would be relevant if the case makes it to trial.
«As background to any trial, jurors in North Carolina will be aware of all the political threats in this country and know that something must be done about it,» Fishwick said.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley raised First Amendment concerns, saying if the case rested solely on the image of seashells forming «8647,» it could face significant legal hurdles, arguing the image «is clearly protected speech» absent additional evidence.
James Comey posted a photo on Instagram showing him standing on a beach. (Fox News)
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression said «86» could actually mean impeachment and that the charges defied Supreme Court precedent that established the standard for a «true threat.»
«The idea that Comey’s picture of seashells conveyed a serious intent to harm the president is ridiculous,» the group wrote on social media. «The administration should abandon this transparent and unconstitutional attempt to punish a critic.»
FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAN BONGINO: JAMES COMEY ‘BROUGHT SHAME TO THE FBI AGAIN’ WITH ’86 47′ POST
Comey had quickly deleted the post, saying at the time that he did not realize that he had shared something ominous. After the indictment, he said he was «still innocent.»
«I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,» Comey said.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton accused «the left media [of] rushing to the defense of James Comey, pretending it’s about free speech.»
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«You don’t have the right to advocate for the killing of the president,» Fitton said.
Comey’s arraignment is set for May 11 in Greenville. Comey’s lawyer did not comment for this story.
attorney general, fox news, first amendment, fbi, james comey
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Pitones birmanas invasoras bajo la lupa: científicos extraen huevos para salvar el ecosistema de los Everglades en Florida
Un grupo de especialistas de la Universidad de Florida realizó la extracción de una puesta de huevos de pitón birmana en los Everglades el 30 de junio de 2026.
La acción, informada por el Miami Herald, tuvo como objetivo impedir la eclosión de decenas de serpientes invasoras y obtener datos clave sobre la reproducción, selección de nidos y comportamiento de esta especie, considerada una amenaza grave para el ecosistema local.
La operación se llevó a cabo cerca de Weston, en el sur de Florida. Participaron científicos del programa Croc Docs y del South Florida Water Management District.
El éxito del operativo dependió de un rastreador GPS implantado previamente en la hembra. Desde que el programa de monitoreo comenzó en 2022, el equipo confió en la tecnología para localizar nidos en zonas inaccesibles, una táctica que transformó la gestión de esta plaga.
Brandon Welty, biólogo y coordinador de investigación sobre especies invasoras, relató que el nido no se distinguía entre la vegetación, pero el dispositivo permitió al equipo llegar justo al sitio necesario.
La expedición involucró a Jenna Cole, científica del South Florida Water Management District, y a su pasante Sophia Buller.
El acceso no fue sencillo: sin senderos, los investigadores avanzaron entre árboles bajos y matorrales, siguiendo únicamente las coordenadas del rastreador.
Una vez localizado el nido, procedieron a extraer la puesta para su estudio en laboratorio y posterior eliminación, con el fin de evitar que la población de pitones siga creciendo de manera descontrolada.
Welty detalló que “el seguimiento nos permite saber cuándo una hembra llega al sitio y estimar con precisión cuándo depositó los huevos. Retiramos la puesta antes de que eclosione y así obtenemos datos ambientales y reproductivos que ayudan a entender las condiciones que favorecen la expansión de la especie”.
La pitón birmana, originaria del sudeste asiático, alteró gravemente la cadena alimentaria de los Everglades tras décadas de expansión.
Su reproducción acelerada y la falta de depredadores naturales en la región facilitaron su proliferación. El trabajo de campo de la Universidad de Florida aspira a detener este avance y a la vez generar información útil para futuras políticas públicas.
Eric Suarez, coordinador del programa Croc Docs, afirmó que la captura manual sigue siendo el método más eficiente para retirar estos reptiles. El uso de rastreadores y la recolección de datos ambientales permite a cazadores y agencias perfeccionar sus intervenciones.
A esta labor se sumó la toma de muestras de sangre de la hembra, una línea de investigación destinada a analizar la presencia de microplásticos en las pitones, según publicó el Miami Herald.
El rastreo implementado en la serpiente posibilita observar patrones de apareamiento, movimientos y conducta, información esencial para anticipar la expansión de la invasora.
Welty reconoció que uno de los puntos de sutura del rastreador se soltó durante la revisión, pero optó por no intervenir de inmediato, considerando el estado de la serpiente tras la incubación: “Están deshidratadas y con el sistema inmunitario debilitado, así que preferimos dejarla y que cicatrice por sí sola”.
El operativo no contempló el sacrificio de la serpiente madre. Tal y como explicó Welty, la hembra fue devuelta a su hábitat tras el retiro de la puesta. De acuerdo con Miami Herald, las imágenes del procedimiento muestran todas las etapas: extracción del nido, toma de muestras y liberación del animal.
La intervención perseguía dos metas principales: impedir el nacimiento de nuevos ejemplares y aportar información relevante para el diseño de estrategias de manejo ambiental en Florida.
El análisis de los huevos y las condiciones del nido permitirá identificar factores que favorecen la reproducción y supervivencia de la pitón birmana. El programa Croc Docs perfeccionó el uso de rastreadores y técnicas de captura desde 2022, consolidando estos métodos como herramientas esenciales en la lucha contra una de las especies invasoras más problemáticas del estado.
La puesta retirada representa un paso concreto para frenar el aumento de la pitón birmana en los Everglades, una de las reservas naturales más emblemáticas de Estados Unidos. El trabajo científico continúa, con el propósito de desarrollar medidas más precisas y eficaces para restaurar el equilibrio ecológico de la región.
pitón birmana,huevos,Everglades,reptiles,serpientes,nido,especie invasora,fauna,Florida,conservación
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Drone offensive hits Russian oil tankers and refineries at ‘industrial scale’ as Moscow bans diesel exports
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Ukraine launched one of its broadest recent drone offensives against Russia’s maritime and energy networks this week, claiming strikes on 21 vessels in three days as attacks on major refineries deep inside Russia intensified pressure on Moscow’s fuel supplies.
The wave of attacks offered a striking display of Ukraine’s growing long-range capabilities.
On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptors and the two leaders discussed a potential drone agreement.
TRUMP SAYS US WILL LET UKRAINE MAKE PATRIOT MISSILES IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT
Drone footage shows fire and smoke rising from, what the Rostov region Governor said, was an empty oil tanker, following Ukraine’s overnight drone attacks on Russia, confirmed by the Ukrainian military, at a place given as the Sea of Azov, in this screengrab from a handout video released on July 8, 2026. (Commander of Unmanned Aerial Systems Force/Handout via REUTERS )
Zelenskyy made air defense his top priority during the bilateral meeting and said the two governments had also begun working on a separate drone agreement.
«Air defense is the priority,» Zelenskyy said. He described the emerging drone deal as «a very good beginning» and said he hoped to discuss additional details with Trump.
The timing allowed Zelenskyy to arrive at the summit with evidence that Ukraine’s domestic drone industry can threaten Russian assets far beyond the conventional battlefield.
UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATO
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound, in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026 (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Trump praised Zelenskyy as «very effective» and credited Ukrainian forces with successfully operating American weapons against Russia’s much larger military.
«He’s had the best equipment because he had our equipment,» Trump said. «But somebody has to use that equipment. And you have a lot of brave people that are using that equipment.»
Ukraine is increasingly forcing Russia to defend refineries, airfields, shipping routes and other infrastructure far beyond the front. Kyiv has not achieved a comparable breakthrough in the grinding ground campaign, and Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian cities. But repeated long-range strikes have begun disrupting fuel production and maritime logistics while imposing costs on parts of Russia that were once largely insulated from the fighting.
WATCH: FIGHTS BREAK OUT AT RUSSIAN GAS STATIONS AS PUTIN ADMITS FUEL SHORTAGES
Black smoke billows from the area of Gazprom Neftâs Moscow oil refinery, located on the southeastern outskirts of Moscow, on June 18, 2026, following what the Russian capital’s mayor described as a large-scale drone attack by Ukraine. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said nine Russian-linked vessels were struck in the Sea of Azov on Wednesday, bringing the number targeted over 72 hours to 21.
Commander Robert «Magyar» Brovdi said the targets included 19 oil tankers, a cargo ship and a ferry operating near Russian-occupied Crimea, according to East2West news agency. He described the campaign against the fleet as reaching an «industrial scale.»
Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that the overnight offensive targeted tankers, refineries, pipeline facilities and a military airfield across several Russian regions.
Ukraine says many of the vessels were part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and were being used to transport fuel to Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow seized and illegally annexed in 2014.
In this photo taken by an anonymous source, smoke rises from oil storage facilities hit by fire in Bryansk, Russia, on April 25. (AP)
The maritime strikes were accompanied by attacks on the Saratov refinery and energy facilities in the Russian regions of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Russian authorities said one person was killed in Saratov.
Ukraine also said it struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. The base has been used by Russian combat aircraft involved in attacks against Ukraine, according to Kyiv.
The latest wave followed a Ukrainian strike Monday on the Omsk refinery in Siberia, approximately 1,700 miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The facility is Russia’s largest oil refinery and processed about 460,000 barrels of crude per day last year, according to Reuters.
UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT
Two industry sources subsequently told Reuters that the Omsk facility had halted oil processing following the attack.
The disruption comes as parts of Russia face gasoline and diesel shortages attributed in part to repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries and fuel depots.
Long lines have formed at filling stations in several cities, while some regions have introduced purchasing restrictions. Russia announced Wednesday that it was temporarily banning diesel exports through July 31 to protect domestic supplies.
Smoke and flames rise over Moscow on June 18, 2026, following a Ukrainian drone attack that hit the Kapotnya oil refinery and other targets in the Russian capital. (East2West)
The shortages have become one of the most visible ways the war is reaching ordinary Russians.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-funded RT network, acknowledged the hardships during an appearance on Russian state television and urged Russians not to respond by challenging the country’s leadership.
«There is no petrol,» Simonyan said in a translated clip distributed by regional media.
Recalling food rationing after the collapse of the Soviet Union, she said: «We endured it. And we will endure it now.»
Simonyan argued that Russia’s enemies wanted the population to react as it had during the 1917 revolution and «run off to overthrow» the czar.
«Yes, it is hard, yes, very hard,» she said, urging Russians to remain calm.
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The pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure formed the backdrop to Zelenskyy’s Wednesday meeting with Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Compound.
Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine during the summit, striking Kyiv and other cities with missiles and drones. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said storage facilities were burning in the capital’s Desnyanskyi district and reported another fire in the Sviatoshynskyi district.
ukraine, russia, wars, donald trump, nato, volodymyr zelenskyy
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Potential 2028 Dem contender unloads on Netanyahu, admits US-Israel ties at ‘crossroads’
Netanyahu says America has ‘no greater ally’ than Israel, reflects on Trump relationship
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks exclusively with Jacqui Heinrich about the enduring U.S.-Israel alliance. Netanyahu highlights shared values and common goals with the U.S., particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He also expresses concern over increasing antisemitic sentiments among younger Americans, emphasizing the historical solidarity between the two nations.
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Amid many Americans’ plummeting support for Israel, potential Democratic presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday took aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Emanuel, who is Jewish and a longtime defender of Israel, appears to have changed his tune and is now cautioning that the alliance between the U.S. and Israel «cannot stand or survive as it’s been.»
The former White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama and one-time Chicago mayor who later served as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the Biden administration, issued the tough-love message for America’s increasingly isolated ally amid its ongoing military operations in Gaza against Hamas.
His message was blunt: Unconditional U.S. support for Israel needs to end, and Israel needs to make major changes if it wants to keep America as its top ally.
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Rahm Emanuel, a potential Democratic presidential candidate and longtime defender of Israel speaks in Tel Aviv University, Israel, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (Ariel Schalit/AP Photos)
«The hard truth is that America’s silence for years has engendered the worst of your domestic politics. We’ve done you no favors by averting our eyes,» Emanuel argued during his more than 30-minute address at the University of Tel Aviv, the centerpiece of his trip to Israel this week.
And pointing to Netanyahu, Emanuel argued that America’s «unconditional support has produced a prime minister who has presumed that his strategic interests would incur no cost if he ignored America’s concerns.
«I came here from Chicago to tell you directly where things need to head if we are to maintain the historic alliance between two democracies. Without question, the alliance is at a crossroads,» he added.
NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN
A horrific Hamas sneak attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. The continued Israeli response over the past two and a half years has resulted in more than 73,000 people being killed, according to health officials in the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves for the U.S. after his visit to Hungary. (GPO)
Israel’s response has led to condemnation of the country from across the globe, including from longtime advocates for the Jewish state.
«Support for Israel is plummeting around the world. You’ve lost Europe, your biggest economic partner,» Emanuel emphasized.
«Israel has never been more strategically isolated.»
Democrats have become increasingly divided over the war in Gaza, with a growing number of politicians on the left charging that Israel’s actions against the Palestinians are «genocide» and calling for a halt to longstanding U.S. military aid to the Middle East nation.
Roughly half of Democrats questioned in a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll said Israel had committed genocide in its war with Hamas. Meanwhile, 58% said the U.S. is «too supportive» of Israel, which is up 13 points since January.
IDF troops reenter the Gaza Strip after the collapse of the ceasefire. (IDF)
Most Republicans remain strong supporters of Israel, although there’s increasing unease among some in MAGA/America First camp.
The poll indicated a slight deterioration in support for Israel among those in the GOP, but overall only a sliver of Republicans questioned felt that Israel had committed genocide.
Emanuel called for a «new and fundamentally new approach to this alliance. … To maintain the strength of our ties, we need significant changes and a new direction.»
21 DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028
And he sketched out early ideas for a new peace process.
«The now-discredited path to a ‘two-state solution’ should be replaced by a 23-state solution: The 21 Arab nations that have exploited Palestinian rights as a slogan for decades now need to roll up their sleeves and stand up a governing authority capable of accepting the historic Jewish connection to this land,» Emanuel proposed.
«If Israel made peace with 21 … Arab nations, that would be your greatest day and Iran’s worst nightmare.»
EMANUEL PUSHES BACK ON ‘STRAIGHT WHILE MAN’ – SAYS THIS IS WHAT MATTERS MOST IN 2028
Emanuel’s proposals include sanctioning Israelis who attack Palestinian civilians and property, along with companies and banks that support Israeli settlements in the West Bank that most of the international community consider illegal.
He also called for ending U.S. subsidies to Israel’s defense budget, arguing the country «should be able to buy American arms under the same financial terms, the same restrictions and the same requirements as every other trusted ally that abides by our laws.»
For Emanuel, long known as a moderate who has clashed with the left-wing faction of his party, the speech appeared to be an attempt to find what he’s described as a realistic middle ground.
His message: «Those chanting ‘from the river to the sea’ need to hear this: You will never have your way.
«Those calling for a greater Israel, you need to hear this: You will never have your way, either. Both of them are fantasies chanted by fanatics that lead to perpetual endless conflict.»
Former U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago mayor who served as White House chief of staff in President Barack Obama’s administration and a former U.S. House member, speaks at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics March 30, 2026, in Manchester, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Netanyahu, who years ago famously slammed Emanuel as a «self-hating Jew,» had yet to respond to the speech at the time this report posted.
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Emanuel, who has been crisscrossing the country this year as he considers a presidential bid, has made two stops in New Hampshire, which has traditionally held the first primary in the White House race.
He has also made trips to two other crucial early primary election states — Nevada and South Carolina.
politics, benjamin netanyahu, democratic party, hamas, israel, middle east, presidential primaries
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