Some Questions for James Comey About His 8647 Stunt

The consensus is that the term “eighty-six” dates to diners in the 1930s. Anecdotes about its origins abound, but its meaning is not obscure. It meant a certain dish, ingredient, or beverage was not available. It was also slang for throwing out or no longer serving a particular item, or even for tossing a belligerent drunk out of a bar for causing trouble. And many in the left-wing media are leaning heavily on either or both explanations to “fact-check” any claim that 8647 could have a darker meaning. At some later point, 86 was adopted in other circles as a euphemism for killing someone. No one who served in the military or law enforcement – or moved in the criminal world – at any time between the 1950s and 1990s is unaware of what 86 means when referring to a person or target. The term may have been used differently in varying circles over the years, but it is simply not credible that a man of James Comey's age with a long career in law enforcement could be unaware of the term or its more modern usage.

James Comey Has the Worst Bout of TDS

On May 15, Comey posted a photograph on X, with the caption, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” The photo showed seashells in the sand laid out in the shape of four numbers: 8647. So, here are all the questions that immediately arise – questions that agents of the organization Comey once led should probably ask him directly: What are the odds that he randomly stumbled across this while taking a stroll on the beach? Assuming he did not create the 8647 arrangement himself – which the philosophical problem-solving principle, Occam's razor, tells us is the most likely scenario – how could Comey have looked at those numbers and not understood the message they conveyed? What on earth do they teach at Quantico? If the former FBI boss is to be taken at his word that he was unaware of the significance of 86, why, then, did he take the photo, post it on social media, and describe it as a “cool shell formation”? It wasn’t really all that cool. The creator, whoever he was, did not put a lot of care into the process. The numbers are unevenly spaced and, while the 8 and 6 appear to have been carefully laid out, the 4 and the 7 look a bit wonky – as if the “artist” felt hurried to complete his masterpiece. Finally, if the seashell arrangement was so “cool,” why subsequently delete the X post, rather than leave it up for everyone to enjoy? What about the First Amendment? LNN Legal Affairs Editor Scott D. Cosenza, Esq. says Comey’s speech is not criminal. "For successful prosecution of statements or, as in this case, images containing messages, prosecutors must prove, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Mr. Comey knew this image was a 'true threat,' or recklessly disregarded the fact that it was. The Supreme Court defined true threat in a 2003 case, ruling they were ‘statements where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to a particular individual or group of individuals.’ Mr. Comey’s statement seems well shy of that line.” Still, it is being investigated. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded, tagging Comey’s tweet with the statement: “Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump. DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.” Current FBI Director Kash Patel has confirmed that, while this matter is in the jurisdiction of the Secret Service, the Bureau will assist as required. “We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump,” Patel wrote on X. “We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”

Everyone Understands 8647 – Everyone

The message, 8647, really isn’t that cryptic. There isn’t anything else it could mean. The last four of someone’s Social Security number? Four-digit map coordinates? An obscure clue to the location of buried treasure? The most innocuous conclusion to be drawn is that Comey was, as usual, playing to his newfound fans with this little stunt. He is by no means the first anti-Trumper to casually toy with fantasies of someone killing the president. The most chilling conclusion is that the man with a history of trying to “get Trump” was sending a direct message: Someone rid us of this guy. Because, again, it simply is not reasonable to believe Comey doesn’t know what 8647 means. The outcome of this matter is no small thing. What President Trump himself thinks of it is hard to say, in terms of how seriously he takes it. But his supporters, allies, and probably his family will want an indictment, a trial, and a prison sentence for posting a social media message so easily interpreted as a call for the murder of the president.  

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