James Comey has been indicted by a North Carolina grand jury for an alleged physical threat to the President.
The indictment concerns a minor incident that IMHO would not historically result in a felony indictment. Some say it will be easily dismissed. But I’d think supposed threats to the President tend to be taken seriously.
I’m wondering about the fact that Comey quickly took down his photo post. On the one hand, it shows him acting responsibly. But isn’t it also an admission that Comey knows he crossed the line?
More nonsensical harassment to make him spend money and waste everyone’s time. Seems like if this was valid, everyone who wears a “fuck Trump” t-shirt would be under indictment.
I think the most prevalent definition of ‘86’ is ‘get rid of’ and not anything worse. I’ve heard people say they’ve been 86’ed when they got kicked out of a bar or fired from their job.
The grand jury should be ashamed of themselves. A felony indictment is absolutely pathetic. But that’s what the country gets when they elect a corrupt criminal.
There’s no way that Comey will be convicted. “86 47” is not a threat to kill Trump. It’s not a threat of any kind of violence. “86” is a old, commonly-used expression meaning “to throw out or ban.” Someone can get 86ed from a bar for being drunk and obnoxious. That means the customer is ejected from the bar, and maybe banned from it. It doesn’t mean the customer is killed, or harmed in any way. “86 47” just means “ban Trump from the presidency.”
Chefguy has it right. The purpose of this action is to harass and intimidate Comey, and anyone else who might criticize Trump. Defending oneself against a felony charge is costly, time-consuming, and stressful.
Another example of the ongoing harrasment/show of fidelity to the greatest leader in the history of the world is the FCC’s accelerated review of the Disney TV station licenses.
The way it usually goes, federal defendants plead guilty to lesser charges.
I can see Trump OK’ing a proffer where Comey pleads guilty to a misdemeanor where a first offender gets probation. You might say that Comey has too much integrity to do that. But the prospect of years in federal prison would concentrate his mind. Then Trump could go on truth social and say that while Comey deserved the firing squad, he went easy on him.
Next enemy down, the proffer won’t be as generous.
As to whether they would go as easy on the T-shirt crowd, it is impossible to say. Wearers are safer than printers and sellers.
Bondi failed to jail Trump’s enemies. From a Trumper standpoint, she wasted a whole year. Maybe losing that year was critical. Maybe Todd Blanche will do no better. But to say “no way” is to say that we already know the Trump dictatorship is a failure. And we do not know that.
Dismiss a case concerning what Trumpers will be sure is a direct threat against the President? It will take judicial courage. The judge and family would need continuous body guarding that Trump will oppose. This game is for keeps.
As I said in the Trump Ckusterfuck thread, would that it was the same grand jury for the case against the six senators who said military members do not need to follow unlawful orders. Not only was there no indictment, not a single jury member voted to do so.
If this case isn’t tossed pretrial, Comey should wave his right to a jury, and rest his case without calling witnesses or presenting evidence. Make a Rule 29 motion for acquittal, on the grounds that the prosecutor failed to make a case for conviction.
This indictment came from the eastern district of North Carolina, which is a mix of urban and rural.
I’m wondering if they handpicked jurors from the rural areas, and since you only need 51% of jurors to vote to indict realized they could get an indictment. I have no idea how heavily Trump leaning the grand jurors were.
I do find it funny that Comey was so spineless that he handed the election to Trump in 2016, and this is his reward.
I also find it funny how many times Trump has threatened people with no consequences. Not so much funny, more infuriating.
I really doubt that will happen here. They have no case against Comey at all, and he knows it. He’s not facing years in prison, because no jury will convict him. It won’t surprise me if the judge dismisses the case for lack of evidence or probable cause. The judge could also direct a verdict of not guilty after the prosecution presents the case.
The only reason this is being pursued at all is because Kash “TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?!” Patel is worried that he’s about to get fired for being an incompetent drunken party animal and is trying to appease President Grandpa by making a show of going after his enemies.
I’m wondering just what the OP’s “Anything to worry about?” is supposed to mean.
This is yet another blatant attack by the president using the powers of government to settle old personal scores. Of course that’s something to worry about. In fact it ought to be grounds for near-instant impeachment and removal from office.
This. And this is definitely something to worry about. Standing trial and being found not guilty is, itself, a punishment. And it’s a punishment against which there’s really not much defense or protection.
This’ll probably just increase Comey’s book sales; free publicity with no real chance of conviction. The question is whether the profits will offset the cost of the lawyers.
Not to mention all the settlements and jury awards from all the wrongful termination lawsuits. Like the one Comey’s daughter will eventually win. In a just world, all that money would come straight from the siezure and sale of Trump’s properties.
This ‘administration’ is a disgrace. A very expensive and damaging disgrace.
Is the case so frivolous that Comey can simply serve as his own counsel and essentially take for granted that he’ll be found “not guilty”? Comey doesn’t exactly need a team of murder-case lawyers here, does he?
