James Comey quietly waives court date in '86 47' case, denying cameras a second show

WASHINGTON, DC: Former FBI Director James Comey is taking a quieter route as his legal battle with the Trump Justice Department moves forward.

Court records show Comey has formally waived an initial appearance in North Carolina, allowing the case to proceed without him making another public trip to federal court and without the media spectacle that likely would have followed.

James Comey skips court appearance 

The decision came after Comey requested that the scheduled proceeding in North Carolina be canceled, arguing that he had already surrendered to federal authorities and appeared before a magistrate during an earlier proceeding in Alexandria.

That earlier appearance included standard processing, a review of his rights, and conditions related to his release, though Comey did not enter a plea.

District Judge Louise Flanagan approved the request, agreeing to cancel the hearing once Comey formally submitted the waiver by the court’s deadline.

The case centers on a social media post Comey published earlier this year that allegedly showed seashells arranged to spell “86 47.”

Federal prosecutors claim the message was not random and instead represented a threat against President Donald Trump.

According to the charging document, prosecutors allege Comey “knowingly and willfully” communicated a threat that a reasonable person familiar with the context would interpret as a serious expression of intent to harm the president.

The Justice Department argues the meaning of '86', a slang term sometimes associated with removing or getting rid of someone, took on a far darker implication when paired with “47,” which is widely understood as a reference to Trump’s place in presidential history.

James Comey denies wrongdoing

The case has quickly become one of the most politically explosive prosecutions of Trump’s second term, with allies of the president highlighting it as an example of accountability, while critics have accused the administration of weaponizing the legal system against political opponents.

Comey has strongly denied that the post carried any violent intent and has publicly rejected the charges as politically motivated.

In a statement released after the indictment, Comey pushed back on the accusations and made clear he has no intention of backing down.

“Nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” he said.

He also warned that the case could have broader implications beyond his own legal future.

“This is not who we are as a country. This is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be,” Comey added.