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This 2025 James Comey Interview Reveals He Knew EXACTLY What ‘86 47’ Meant
PJ Media ^ | 1 May, 2026 | Robert Spencer

Posted on 05/02/2026 6:44:05 AM PDT by MtnClimber

James Comey, former FBI director, former deputy attorney general, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is a friend of presidents and kings, an admired figure who presents himself as a voice of reason and morality, and a pillar of the Washington establishment — or, as the Mafia would put it, a made guy. Surely he would never do something so lawless and undemocratic as threaten the president of the United States, would he?

That’s what Comey contends in response to charges that he was issuing a veiled threat to the president when he posted on his Instagram account a photo of seashells arranged to say “86 47.” “86” is a well-known expression for getting rid of someone, and whether or not Comey meant that Trump should be gotten rid of by assassination, it was an extraordinarily irresponsible statement for him to make at a time when leftist calls for violence against Trump and his supporters are distressingly common.

Those calls have now resulted in three assassination attempts against Trump, and no one knows how many more there will be, but in this climate, only a fool would say that the president will finish out his term without any more attempts to kill him. Comey took the photo down on the same day that he posted it, and explained: “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.”

However, the idea that the former director of the FBI actually “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence” strains credulity well beyond the breaking point. That is clear from a potboiler crime novel, FDR Drive, that Comey wrote, or that was more likely ghostwritten for him.

In an unwittingly revealing May 2025 interview with NPR to plug the book, Comey explained that his novel was “about a right-wing podcaster who is trying to motivate his followers to engage in acts of violence against the targets of his vitriol. And it’s about my protagonist, Nora Carleton, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, trying to figure out, how do we stop the violence? And is there a way to hold this podcaster criminally accountable for what he clearly knows he’s doing? And that’s the trick because the line between speech and crime is – it should be clear, but it’s fuzzy.”

All right. So here’s the intrepid FBI director explaining that he wrote a book about a “right-wing podcaster” (after all, who else do leftists think is evil these days?) who “is trying to motivate his followers to engage in acts of violence against the targets of his vitriol,” but he is apparently doing so in a veiled manner, because Comey adds that “he clearly knows” what he’s doing. Comey’s novel, he says, is all about “the line between speech and crime.”

And then Comey would have us believe that he posted a photo on his Instagram account that many of his followers would understand as a call to engage in an act of violence against the target of his vitriol, but that poor, naïve Comey himself didn’t know what he was doing? Sell me a bridge while you’re at it, why doncha?

This becomes all the clearer when the NPR interviewer asks Comey about the “line between free speech and violent incitement and domestic terrorism, ideologically motivated violence,” and Comey says he has had to “grapple with that very issue throughout my career.” Yet he expects us to believe that he didn’t pause to ponder even for a moment whether posting “86 47” might constitute violent incitement and domestic terrorism.

That’s what he’s insisting: “I took a picture and posted it ’cause I thought it was a clever political thing. Never occurred to me that someone would try to say it was associated with violence. I actually still don’t see that. But I took it down because I don’t want – I mean, this is my Instagram account, for God’s sakes. I don’t want anything on there to be associated with violence, even if I don’t get it.” And he didn’t think anyone else would get it, either: “Yeah, I'm not worried, ‘cause there’s no world in which this is an actual threat.”

Of course. So here is a guy who published a novel about veiled calls to violence, claiming that he didn’t know what he posted was a veiled call to violence, despite the fact that it's common parlance. Sure, Comey. I’ll bet you would still insist you were acting in good faith regarding the Russia hoax, too.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: comey; deepstatestooge; enjoytherideloser; leftism

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To: MtnClimber; HIDEK6; wildcard_redneck; rlmorel; silverleaf
Here is the letter I wrote in 2018 about one of his many egregious actions. I won’t bore you with my 10 links.

Comey is a Dirty Cop

Consider the source before giving credence to Comey’s statement attacking the GOP Congress and Trump about any infraction of law. What credibility he had disappeared when he spoke about Hilary Clinton’s emails. He began by detailing the many ways in which her actions violated Sections (d), (e), (f) of the federal penal code Title 18. He then declared that no prosecutor would ever consider bringing her to trial.

Comey committed an egregious violation of his FBI Director authority by stating Clinton should not be prosecuted. An attorney general or district attorney possesses the authority to decide what if any crime should be pursued. Whether federal, state, or local, police actions are limited to investigation and arrest, as can be confirmed by reading any of their mission statements. That is why we have grand juries and judges deciding upon charges by issuing warrants.

Comey lied by saying the lack of intent to reveal national secrets through Clinton’s prohibited computer system absolved her from prosecution. The applicable statute criminalizes her gross negligence leaving no room for determination of intent. As such the law shares common ancestry with laws from traffic violations to negligent homicides.

Comey is a dirty cop and anything he says, or writes should be ignored.

21 posted on 05/02/2026 7:31:54 AM PDT by Retain Mike ( Sat Cong)
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To: Carry_Okie

Sure, but as FBI Director he had nearly total freedom to do whatever he wanted with regard to investigations. I doubt they’ll ever be able to prove a case against him for all that he did. If this is one thing they can use to mess up his life, tarnish his so-called reputation and cost him some money, I’m all in favor. The rest - he’s likely going to get away with it all. And it won’t be the first time - think of all the illegal and shady stuff J Edgar Hoover did - for decades - and got away with all of it.


22 posted on 05/02/2026 7:37:07 AM PDT by bigbob (We are all Charlie Kirk now)
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To: Retain Mike

Thank you, Retain Mike. Could you FreepMail me your 10 links? They won’t bore me, I assure you.

If any government official has ever been more deserving of burning at the figurative stake of a Grand Jury and Conviction for intentional malfeasance utilizing the organs of government, it is James Comey.


23 posted on 05/02/2026 7:37:32 AM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est)
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To: wildcard_redneck

“It is not a stretch. Comey knew exactly what he was doing, and he should be in prison.”

Maybe, but it’s a stretch to say this interview says anything about that. It’s just a clickbait headline.


24 posted on 05/02/2026 7:37:54 AM PDT by Kleon
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To: rlmorel

“”How would he think just seeing numbers “47” preceded by “86” was a “clever political thing”?””

You’re 100% right. It could have been some celebrations taking place on the beach for birthdays or anniversaries - anything!! No way did he NOT KNOW!


25 posted on 05/02/2026 7:40:26 AM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: Brian Griffin
“Both...legal routes for removal” aren’t practical.

So what? They knew before impeaching Trump that they wouldn't get a conviction, but they did it anyway. So obviously. you can advocate for impeachment even if you think the likelihood of success is negligible.

How about making a wager on this one? I'm willing to permanently ban myself from Free Republic if Comey gets convicted. If y He doesn't, all you would have to do is a 1-month self ban.

Deal?

26 posted on 05/02/2026 7:43:14 AM PDT by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: MtnClimber

We need to 86 Comey!


27 posted on 05/02/2026 7:45:01 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: Kleon

Not really. It doesn’t seem a coincidence that he describes exactly what the photo could be doing.


28 posted on 05/02/2026 7:46:48 AM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: MtnClimber
Never occurred to me that someone would try to say it was associated with violence. I actually still don’t see that.

And, he expects us, as an American lawyer and former director of the FBI, to believe he didn't know what 8647 means?

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Comey is a known liar and fool. He not only knows exactly what 8647 means, he most likely arranged those shells himself.

29 posted on 05/02/2026 7:46:58 AM PDT by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
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To: MtnClimber

A bouncer “86s” someone out of a bar. This is a nothingburger.

Comey has been a political tool since long before he became FBI director, he is owned and corrupt to the core. Surely they can get him on something real.


30 posted on 05/02/2026 7:47:43 AM PDT by marron
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To: Retain Mike
Right. I thought that at the time.

That he got away with it astonished me.

31 posted on 05/02/2026 7:51:30 AM PDT by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump )
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To: MtnClimber

Bkmk


32 posted on 05/02/2026 7:51:52 AM PDT by sauropod
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

Pace yourself.

He’s being forced through the process we call No One is above the Law.

Even Former FBI Directors.

Some day we may get to No One is Above the Law, Especially Former FBI Directors


33 posted on 05/02/2026 7:53:22 AM PDT by delchiante
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To: Thank You Rush
Exactly.

And when he puts on that pious, hurt face and insists he is being politically and unfairly persecuted by even the implication that he knew, it is well to keep in mind that under that pious, hurt face, he is laughing because he KNOWS it is a crock, and he KNOWS that his enemies KNOW it is a crock.

Infuriatingly, he takes great glee in the fact that this open lying on his part is accepted by many good yet gullible people who don't want to admit to themselves that someone they should view as a "Good Person person working on their behalf" as the FBI Director should be unfairly maligned, or by people who are too ignorant to believe someone would do something so despicable.


34 posted on 05/02/2026 7:57:20 AM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

What do you suppose the motivation was behind going after the rodeo clown wearing the Obama mask?


35 posted on 05/02/2026 7:58:47 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.)
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To: MtnClimber

did Nora Carleton nail her target - if so, how?


36 posted on 05/02/2026 8:04:35 AM PDT by avital2 (I)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

Sadly, there is a lot of truth in your comment.


37 posted on 05/02/2026 8:07:07 AM PDT by Churchillspirit (Pray for President Trump)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

I agree the chances of conviction are zero. I believe James Comey could shoot a conservative in the face and not be convicted. All law now is political. There is no law. If Cole Allen had succeeded in murdering the President, it would be 50/50 for a conviction. There’s a good chance one or two DC jurors would simply nullify, thereby hanging the jury.

This is a political indictment. Good! It should be brought. It demonstrates these bastards are inciting violence against are side, as we all know they are. Splash it all over the media. The DOJ, I believe, has said they have other evidence besides the shells themselves. Good! Bring it out, show these lying murderous bastards for what they are. The only question which matters is not whether 12 people vote to convict. It’s whether or not these charges help us politically. I think they will.


38 posted on 05/02/2026 8:08:51 AM PDT by Big E
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To: Big E

This is a political indictment. Good! It should be brought.


We are just returning the favor, as to what they’ve been doing to our side for years. Yes there probably won’t be a conviction, but the process is the punishment, and it’s time our side started fighting fire with fire.


39 posted on 05/02/2026 8:10:27 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: MtnClimber
Comey is a threat to the Republic.

Not because he is a treasonous would-be capo ordering a hit on the POTUS, but because he is a Swifty.

He is really strange. Just look at the guy's videos on X.

He is one weird unit.

40 posted on 05/02/2026 8:12:11 AM PDT by caddie (Going forward we all need to become Trump, and also Captain Obvious, and Charlie Kirk too. )
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