86 45

Robert Hubbell  - The use of the number “86” to refer to impeachment has been in use on both the right and left sides of the political spectrum over the last decade. Gretchen Whitmer wore a “86 45” pin during Trump’s first term, conservative commentator Jack Posobiec posted “86 46” to call for the impeachment of Joe Biden, and former Rep. Matt Gaetz used “86’d” to refer to the removal of Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House. No part of [former FBI director] Comey’s message suggests political violence in general or directed at Trump in particular....

The indictment of Comey for posting an Instagram picture with “86 47” is a bad-faith action by every DOJ attorney who signed or filed the indictment or approved the effort to secure it. The relevant bar associations should immediately open disciplinary investigations into each attorney noted above to determine what evidence, if any, supports the allegation in the indictment that Comey’s seashell message communicated an intent to harm the president.

The obvious answer to that question is that no such evidence exists, and the indictment was sought to placate Trump as Todd Blanche grovels before Trump in an effort to secure a nomination as Attorney General.

The indictment is so flimsy that Fox News legal analyst mocked the indictment in an op-ed in the National Review. See Mediaite, Andy McCarthy Slams Trump DOJ’s ‘Absurd’ Comey Prosecution.  McCarthy said,


If it’s possible, the Trump Justice Department’s new indictment of former FBI Director James Comey is even more absurd than the previous indictment. That one failed to state a crime. This one fabricates a crime.

Shortly after the DOJ indicted Comey, the FCC ordered early license renewal examinations for ABC affiliates after Melania Trump demanded that ABC fire Jimmy Kimmel for saying that Melania had “a glow like an expectant widow.” See NPR, Following Kimmel’s Melania Trump joke, FCC orders early license renewal for 8 ABC stations. The FCC’s early renewal action against ABC was unprecedented and was clearly intended to exact retribution against ABC.

....The actions by the DOJ and FCC are merely the latest maneuvers by Trump in his attempt to intimidate the media. He has been using the same playbook for nearly a decade.

...The indictment against Comey is a joke, whose sole purpose is to force Comey to spend money on legal defense. The licenses of ABC’s affiliates will all be renewed because there is no ground for revocation. Again, Trump is merely looking for ways to force his enemies to incur costs.