Overview

• Patel said on Fox News that he has taken agents offline from child sex predator prosecutions, fentanyl trafficking probes and terrorism cases to pursue online posts mimicking Comey’s seaside Instagram.
• The inquiry traces back to Comey’s May 15 photo of seashells arranged as “86 47,” which President Trump and others interpreted as an assassination threat.
• Comey has deleted the post and told MSNBC that viewing it as a call for violence was “crazy,” and the Secret Service conducted a threat interview at his home.
• Patel accused Comey of making a political statement and pledged to review all files related to the alleged attempt while keeping the public informed.
• During the Fox News interview, Patel faced social media mockery for appearing in an oversized chair as he laid out the diversion of FBI resources.