What Does 8647 Mean? The ‘code’ That Led To Charges Against Former Fbi Director James Comey

Former FBI head James Comey was made the taxable of an apprehension warrant by nan Department of Justice for allegedly calling for nan assassination of Donald Trump - by posting a image of oversea shells connected Instagram.

Prosecutors insisted successful their indictment that nan photograph of nan shells pronunciation retired nan numbers “8647” – which Comey took down soon aft posting it past May erstwhile it was interpreted by online conservatives arsenic cloaked defense for governmental unit – was “a superior look of an intent to do harm to nan president of nan United States.”

Responding successful a video connected Substack Tuesday, Comey said: “Nothing has changed. I’m still innocent; I’m still not afraid. I still judge successful an independent justness system.”

Comey was besides targeted by nan DOJ past year, erstwhile nan then-U.S. Attorney for nan Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, accused him of lying to Congress. He denied nan charges earlier nan lawsuit was tossed without reaching proceedings erstwhile Halligan was ruled to person overstayed her word successful office.

The effort to prosecute nan erstwhile head was seen by galore arsenic 1 of respective efforts by nan Trump management to spell aft aged enemies of nan president, accusations apt to beryllium repeated complete nan caller indictment.

What does 8647 mean?

According to Comey himself, he simply came crossed nan shells already successful nan statement shown successful his station during a locomotion connected a North Carolina formation pinch his wife, who first pointed them retired to him. He “assumed they were a governmental message,” he said, but claimed not to understand it.

His opponents, however, were speedy to allege that nan connection contained a nonstop threat levelled astatine nan president.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, to “86” intends to “to propulsion out” aliases “get free of” and derives from a 1930s slang word for “sold out.”

The number 47, meanwhile, is believed to mention to Trump, arsenic he is nan 47th president of nan United States.

According to USA Today, citing a book entitled The History and Stories of nan Best Bars of New York (2006), nan usage of “86” arsenic a verb is said to originate pinch nan celebrated pub Chumley’s successful Greenwich Village, Manhattan, which stood connected 86 Bedford St and was known for tossing its drunken patrons retired into nan thoroughfare erstwhile they became disorderly – aliases “86-ing” them.

Merriam-Webster’s acknowledges that “to kill” is simply a much modern usage of nan word but explains it has not adopted it “due to its comparative recency and sparseness of use.”

The proposal made by outraged Republicans was that nan operation of nan 2 numbers constituted a nonstop threat against nan president’s life.

The uproar yet led Comey to delete nan image, though he defended his actions aft doing so.

“I didn’t recognize immoderate folks subordinate those numbers pinch violence,” he explained. “It ne'er occurred to me, but I reason unit of immoderate kind, truthful I took nan station down.”

Who is James Comey?

The ex-government official, 65, began his profession arsenic a lawyer earlier taking nan helm arsenic nan seventh head of nan FBI successful 2013.

His four-year tenure, which began nether erstwhile Barack Obama, was soon ended by Trump, who ordered his dismissal successful May 2017 4 months aft entering nan White House. Comey had been starring nan investigation into alleged Russian interference successful nan 2016 statesmanlike predetermination to Trump’s advantage.

“I conscionable fired nan caput of nan F.B.I. He was crazy, a existent seed job,” nan president said astatine nan time, “I faced awesome unit because of Russia. That’s taken off.”

A feud betwixt nan 2 men subsequently ensued, pinch Trump insisting nan allegations against him amounted to a Democratic “witch hunt,” a declare he has made astir galore different issues since.

Trump went connected to telephone Comey “a unspeakable guy” successful 2019 and berated his activity squad astatine nan FBI for being “not clean, to put it mildly,” during an question and reply connected Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.

What was nan first guidance to nan picture?

The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, then-Homeland Security caput Kristi Noem, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard each claimed nan ammunition image amounted to an overt telephone for nan assassination of nan president.

Gabbard said nan station was highly concerning because Trump had already faced “two assassination attempts connected his life.”

Comey’s successor, Kash Patel, besides said astatine nan clip that nan Secret Service was looking into nan matter and MAGA influencer Laura Loomer attempted to marshal nan outrage connected societal media.