Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey could face jail time after investigations were launched into social media messages he recently posted, seemingly calling for the murder of President Donald Trump.
Director Comey, a consistent critic of the Trump administration, posted a picture of seashells arranged to read ‘86 47’ on his Instagram.
The number 86 is known in criminal slang to mean murdering someone, while 47 refers to President Trump, who was and is the 45th and 47th US president, respectively.
Recently, the number 8647 has been reportedly trending on social media as a symbol encouraging violent resistance against Trump.
Comey claimed that he “assumed” the seashells he photographed “were a political message,” but that he “didn’t realise some folks associate those numbers with violence.”
Trump administration officials and Republican leaders, however, disagree.
Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard rejected Comey’s excuses, arguing his extensive law enforcement experience made him keenly aware of the symbolism behind criminal codes, including the number ‘86.’
“James Comey just issued a call to action to murder the President of the United States,” said DNI Gabbard. “As a former FBI Director and someone who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, he knew exactly what he was doing and must be held accountable under the full force of the law.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Secret Service launched an investigation into Comey’s ‘86 47’ picture, which Comey has since deleted.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that “disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of President Trump,” prompting the DHS and Secret Service’s investigation.
If sufficient evidence is found, Comey could be prosecuted for directly calling for the death of another person and for threatening the life of the President, crimes punishable by up to 20 years and 5 years in jail, respectively.
Comey has denied any wrongdoing and substituted the seashell picture for another, where he claims that he opposes violence and that he was unaware of the number’s significance.
