Exclusive: Sen. Cotton Asks Kash Patel to Investigate Everything James Comey Did at FBI
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) has formally requested that FBI Director Kash Patel conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of former FBI Director James Comey, following a cryptic social media post that some interpreted as a violent threat against President Donald Trump.
Comey, who served as FBI director after being appointed by former President Barack Obama until he was fired by Trump in 2017, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of seashells arranged to spell out "86 47". The number 86 is a common term used in the hospitality industry as well as in the military and intelligence communities, which can mean cancelling an order or to “kill, murder, or execute judicially,” according to Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang.
Comey deleted the post after receiving accusations that he was calling for the assassination of the president, and issued a statement saying he had assumed the numbers were a political message and had taken it down. However, Patel announced that his bureau is “in communication” with the Secret Service and Director Sean Curran, stating that primary jurisdiction lies with SS on these matters and the FBI will provide all necessary support.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on X that DHS and the Secret Service are investigating this threat and will respond appropriately. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard also appeared on Fox News to say that Comey should be put “behind bars” for issuing a direct threat against the president.
On Friday, Cotton sent a letter to Patel officially asking him to review all FBI actions “in which former Director James Comey was personally involved”. The Intel Chair noted in his letter that Comey has "politicized investigations, been at the center of leaks, and obviously shown bias against the Trump administration and supporters".
Cotton also quoted President Trump's response to Comey's alarming Instagram post, which he issued during a portion of an interview that aired on Fox News. According to the president, the "86 47" was a call for “an assassination”. When asked if he knew what that meant, Trump said: “A child knows what that meant. If you're FBI director and don’t know what that meant, that meant assassination, and it says it loud and clear. He wasn’t very competent but competent enough to know what that meant. He did it for a reason and he was hit so hard because people like me and like what was happening with our country."
Cotton quoted the president in his letter to Patel, writing: “in the words of President Trump, ‘he knew exactly what it meant'.” This suggests that Cotton believes Comey's actions were not just a mistake, but a deliberate attempt to make a threat against the president.
A Congressional Official Says This is Just the Start
A senior congressional official exclusively told Breitbart News that Cotton’s letter “is just the start”. The official said on Friday: We have long known that Comey was a partisan hack, but the fact that he is making assassination references towards a president who has faced assassination attempts shows that every single thing he did must be investigated to see how badly he was abusing his office. James Comey is not above the law and the Senate is united to hold him accountable.
Another congressional source told Breitbart that, “James Comey is looking at subpoenas and if he doesn’t comply, he could face criminal charges. Republicans in Congress aren’t going to let this slide.”
A Trump Ally Says Cotton is a MAGA Warrior
Another source close to the Trump administration added that Cotton “is a MAGA warrior who takes on the deep state for President Trump”. “Thankfully, President Trump has allies like Tom Cotton who will stand up to deranged and disgraced James Comey, and hold him accountable for his very real threats against our President,” the source added.
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.