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Carolina Grand Jury Indicts Comey Over Seashell Threat

4/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a Carolina grand jury indictment of former FBI Director James Comey for threatening President Donald Trump with a seashell Instagram post.
Experts and NYU professor Ryan Goodman warned the indictment exemplifies an unprecedented, ludicrous federal effort to criminalize political speech.
Senator Chris Van Hollen condemned the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s use of resources to settle the president’s grievances and flagged the forfeiture notice as an asset-seizure threat.

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Story summary

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a Carolina grand jury indictment of former FBI Director James Comey for threatening President Donald Trump with a seashell Instagram post.
Experts and NYU professor Ryan Goodman warned the indictment exemplifies an unprecedented, ludicrous federal effort to criminalize political speech.
Senator Chris Van Hollen condemned the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s use of resources to settle the president’s grievances and flagged the forfeiture notice as an asset-seizure threat.