Former FBI Director James Comey asserted Monday that the scrutiny he generated by posting an image of seashells forming the shape of “86 47” last week has been nothing more than a “distraction.”

Further, he told MSNBC in an interview that he has no regrets about the uproar because his intentions were “totally innocent” and he in no way was calling for the assassination of President Donald Trump.

Comey on Thursday posted the image of the seashells to his Instagram page but said he meant nothing by it and deleted the post. It did lead to an in-person interview with the U.S. Secret Service on Friday and an onslaught of criticism, either for calling for Trump’s assassination, which he denied, or being dense to the connotation of “86 47.”

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