Ex-FBI Director James Comey faces charges over "86 47" post. How strong is the case?

Key Points:

• Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly making threats against President Trump through a now-deleted Instagram post showing seashells arranged as "86 47," which prosecutors interpret as a threat.
• Legal experts widely believe the indictment will face significant challenges, arguing that the post constitutes protected political speech under the First Amendment and does not meet the Supreme Court's high bar for "true threats."
• Comey and his defense team plan to file motions to dismiss the case on grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution, citing prior legal rulings and the ambiguous nature of the message.
• The Supreme Court has ruled in past cases that political hyperbole and ambiguous statements are generally protected speech unless there is clear intent or knowledge of threatening harm, a standard experts doubt the government can meet in this case.
• Critics warn that prosecuting such ambiguous speech could chill free expression and set a dangerous precedent, especially given Comey's high-profile status and access to legal resources not available to most Americans.