Bombshell Evidence Revealed in Comey's "86 47" Post

New evidence has been released in the criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey over his “86 47” post about President Trump. Just two minutes before the post, Comey’s wife reportedly texted him a definition of “86” meaning “to get rid of.”

Now the DOJ argues there is “no serious dispute” the post could be interpreted as a threat against President Trump.

As reported by the Washington Times:

The Justice Department is defending its prosecution of former FBI Director James B. Comey, saying “there is no serious dispute” that a social media post of seashells he made last year could be understood as a threat against President Trump.

Prosecutors also called into question Comey’s account that he had found the seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47” while walking on a beach in North Carolina and suggested that his May 2025 post on Instagram was a thinly veiled attempt to sell copies of a forthcoming novel about a social media personality whose words have inspired his fans to attack his foes.

The arguments in motions Tuesday represent the government’s most detailed explanation of its indictment and were filed in response to wide-ranging defense efforts to dismiss the case on grounds including that it constitutes a vindictive prosecution and that Comey’s post did not amount to a true threat.

Comey’s lawyers contend that investigators in the case misled judges, submitted documents containing false statements, withheld key facts and repeatedly came up empty in their efforts to prove that Comey intended a physical threat or knew that the number 86 could suggest violence.

The entry for “86” from Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by The Associated Press, says its meaning is “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” Trump, a Republican, is the 47th president.

The Justice Department maintains the photo of the seashells, which Comey said he found on the beach, constituted a threat against Trump. Comey deleted the post shortly after he put it up, saying he did not know that anyone interpreted the numbers as a call to violence. His lawyers have said that the slogan has long meant to “get rid of” or “eject” and has been featured on thousands of items sold online and regularly displayed at protests.

But the Justice Department sought in its filings to place the post against the backdrop of a spate of assassination plots or attempts against Trump in the months before and after Comey’s post. Prosecutors say that two minutes before the post was made, Comey’s wife texted him a screenshot of a definition of “86” that said “to get rid of or refuse service.”

 “There is no serious dispute that an objective viewer of Comey’s post could read it to mean ‘Kill President Trump,’” prosecutors wrote.

When we reported how James Comey paused his stroll along the beach to post a picture on what he called an interesting shell formation that said “86 47,” many folks interpreted it as a threat – or at least a call for violence – against President Trump. Comey, of course, denied that, saying that was not his intention. Comey tried to shrug it off as just a fun thing he posted without really thinking. And some might be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But now, new information has been released that indicates that he did think about, or at least questioned, the decision to post the picture, because two minutes before he posted the pic, his wife texted him a screenshot explaining one common definition of “86.”

Comey was the head of the FBI and understands evidence and motive. So, the fact that he took the photo and then his wife texted him a specific definition of “86” that didn’t include the threatening meaning, almost feels like the building of an alibi.

Not to mention, Comey was selling a book at the time. There are also text messages between Comey and his publishers basically saying, it wasn't my intent, but if it sells books, I'm fine with it.

Comey’s denial is just a bit hard to swallow. Whatever Comey’s intentions were when he posted the picture, it’s hard to believe it was just a flippant, quickly forgotten act.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more analysis of this latest update in the saga of James Comey’s controversial social media post and the intent behind it. 

Watch the full broadcast below: