Republican legislators are seeking to channel their indignation over a controversial social media post by former FBI director James Comey, which they perceive as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump, into concrete action.
The lawmakers have proposed a resolution aimed at preventing Comey from ever returning to federal service.
Last week, Comey sparked a furor when he posted an image on Instagram featuring an arrangement of seashells spelling out "8647" - a post he later deleted. Given that '86' is colloquially used to denote the act of getting rid of someone, the post was widely interpreted as a call for Trump's removal from office, despite Comey's claims of ignorance regarding the slang term.
President Trump, who dismissed Comey during his first term, leading to the latter becoming a vocal critic of the administration, dismissed Comey's explanation. "He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If youre the FBI director and you dont know what that meant, that meant assassination, Trump said, as reported by ABC.
In response to this incident, the House Republican Study Committee has put forth a resolution aimed at ensuring Comey never re-enters federal service, according to Just the News. The proposed resolution "urges the relevant authorities to take every relevant action to ensure that [Comey] is never again permitted to serve as an employee of the federal government."
The resolution also calls on the Justice Department to conduct a thorough investigation into Comey's social media post and to make the findings of this investigation available to the relevant House Committees and the public.
Representatives August Pfluger of Texas and Laurel Lee of Florida, both Republicans, elaborated on the resolution in a statement on Pfluger's website. Pfluger described Comey's social media post as a "shocking betrayal of the trust once placed in him by the American people."
Pfluger further accused Comey of resorting to "the unthinkable: calling for violence against our Commander-in-Chief." He added, "We cannot and will not allow former officials to weaponize their influence and fan the flames of division."
Lee, a former federal prosecutor and judge, expressed her concerns over Comey's "rhetoric that carries an implicit threat against President Trump." She emphasized the need for a resolution to ensure Comey never again holds a position of public trust in the U.S. Government and to urge the Department of Justice to investigate whether his conduct violates applicable laws.
Meanwhile, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino and Director Kash Patel are reportedly working to rectify the damage Comey inflicted on the FBI. Bongino, in a post on X, stated that he and Patel spend a significant amount of time "cleaning up messes left behind by former Director Comey." He assured that reforms are underway, many of which are necessitated by Comey's "poor decision-making and atrocious leadership."
The proposed resolution and the subsequent investigation it calls for underscore the gravity of Comey's perceived transgression. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of public figures wielding their influence irresponsibly, particularly when it comes to matters of national security and the stability of the nation's highest office.
Login