Overview

• On May 27, Comey told Jen Psaki on MSNBC that the Republican Party is “white supremacist adjacent,” warning that such perceptions create cultural barriers within the FBI’s domestic terrorism work.
• His May 15 social media image of seashells spelling “8647” prompted investigations by the FBI and Secret Service into whether it constituted a threat against President Trump.
• Comey has denied any violent intent behind the seashell arrangement, saying he was unaware of the “86” reference’s violent connotation.
• Former President Trump and GOP lawmakers have demanded accountability and further inquiry, while some Democratic figures have defended Comey’s focus on extremist influences.
• The controversy has reignited debate over the Southern Poverty Law Center’s labeling of conservative groups as “hate groups” and its advisory role in the Biden administration’s domestic terrorism policy.