Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) has formally asked FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate James Comey after the disgraced ex-FBI leader posted a cryptic message of “86 47” on social media, which some interpreted as a violent threat against President Donald Trump.
Comey, who served as FBI director after being appointed by former President Barack Obama until he was fired by Trump in 2017, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47”:
The number 86 is a common term used in the hospitality industry as well as in the military and intelligence communities, which can mean cancelling an order or to “kill, murder, or execute judicially,” according to Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang.
Comey deleted the post after receiving accusations that he was calling for the assassination of the president, and issued the following statement:
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” he wrote in another post.
Patel announced that he had been made aware of Comey’s suspicious post, stating that his bureau is “in communication” with the Secret Service and Director Sean Curran:
“Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support,” Patel noted.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on X that DHS and the Secret Service are “investigating this threat and will respond appropriately”:
Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard also appeared on Fox News with host Jesse Watters to say that Comey should be put “behind bars” for issuing a “direct threat” against the president.
On Friday, Cotton sent a letter to Patel officially asking him to review all FBI actions “in which former Director James Comey was personally involved.”
Cotton’s letter, exclusively obtained by Breitbart News, went on to note that Comey has “politicized investigations, been at the center of leaks, and obviously shown bias against the Trump administration and supporters.”
The Intel Chair also brought up Trump’s own response to Comey’s alarming Instagram post, which he issued during a portion of an interview that aired on Fox News.
According to the president, the “86 47” was a call for “an assassination.”
“He knew what that meant,” he told host Bret Baier. “A child knows what that meant. If you’re FBI director and don’t know what that meant, that meant assassination, and it says it loud and clear. He wasn’t very competent but competent enough to know what that meant. He did it for a reason and he was hit so hard because people like me and like what was happening with our country. All this, he is calling for assassination of the president.”
Trump added, “I don’t want to take a position on it, it will be up to Pam [Bondi] and all the great people. I will say, I think it is a terrible thing. When you add his history to that, if he had a clean history, he doesn’t, he’s a dirty cop. If he had a clean history, I could understand if there was leniency, I will let them make that decision.”
Cotton quoted the president in his letter to Patel, writing, “in the words of President Trump, ‘he knew exactly what it meant.’”
Patel Letter by Breitbart News on Scribd
The senator also commended the quick launch of an investigation by the Secret Service and thanked the FBI for offering support.
A senior congressional official exclusively told Breitbart News that Cotton’s letter “is just the start.” The official said on Friday:
We have long known that Comey was a partisan hack, but the fact that he is making assassination references towards a president who has faced assassination attempts shows that every single thing he did must be investigated to see how badly he was abusing his office. James Comey is not above the law and the Senate is united to hold him accountable.
Another congressional source told Breitbart that, “James Comey is looking at subpoenas and if he doesn’t comply, he could face criminal charges. Republicans in Congress aren’t going to let this slide.”
Another source close to the Trump administration added that Cotton “is a MAGA warrior who takes on the deep state for President Trump.”
“Thankfully, President Trump has allies like Tom Cotton who will stand up to deranged and disgraced James Comey, and hold him accountable for his very real threats against our President,” the source added.
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
