New Secret Service emails reveal how case was built against James Comey
Legal filings reveal that the Secret Service tracked former FBI Director James Comey's phone without a warrant following his social media posts. The defense argues this was a case of vindictive prosecution, while emails suggest agents were aware of the legal ambiguity regarding the exigency exemption used to justify the tracking.
Why it matters
The case raises significant questions regarding government surveillance powers, the use of exigency exemptions, and the potential for political bias in federal investigations.
Federal officials, apparently acting without a warrant, tracked former FBI Director James Comey from North Carolina to Virginia after he posted photos of seashells spelling out “86 47” last year, Comey’s attorneys allege. Newly released federal court filings also outline how President Donald Trump was following the investigation into his longtime critic from Air Force One, how investigators interviewed Gambino crime family member “Sammy the Bull,” as well as searches of “86” in FBI databases, ChatGPT and Merriam Webster dictionary online in their effort to build a case against Comey. The defense’s filing is part of Comey’s effort to have the case dismissed on several grounds, including selective and vindictive prosecution, and that the photo of shells does not represent a true threat, falling well within First Amendment protections.
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