By Matthew Hutchison / news@whmi.com

The Livingston County Democratic Party removed a Facebook post Thursday that showed the numbers “8647,” a formulation that has drawn national controversy when used in connection with President Donald Trump.

The AI-generated image showed the four living former presidents -- Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton -- standing in a row wearing shirts with the numbers 8, 6, 4 and 7. Trump was shown in the background wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Livingston County Democratic Party Chair Judy Daubenmier told WHMI the image was being mischaracterized and said it was intended to refer to impeachment.

“It seems people want to make something bigger about it than it is,” Daubenmier said. “It’s about impeachment and a lot of people want to see him impeached. And that’s clear. You can see him in a jumpsuit in the back.”

Asked why the post was removed, Daubenmier said, “It’s a distraction.”

Asked who posted the image to the party’s Facebook page, Daubenmier said, “None of your business.”

In a follow-up email, Daubenmier said the image of Trump in an orange jumpsuit was appropriate.

“Trump is, after all, a convicted felon, so showing him in an orange jumpsuit is appropriate,” Daubenmier wrote.

The phrase “86 47” has become politically charged because Trump is the 47th president, while “86” is commonly used as slang meaning to remove, reject or get rid of something. Critics have argued the phrase can be interpreted as a threat when used in reference to a president. Others have said it is political shorthand for removing Trump from office.

Daubenmier did not directly answer when asked whether the party rejected interpretations of the image suggesting violence toward Trump or any elected official.

Separately, Livingston County Republican Party Chair Deborah Drick condemned the post in a written statement to WHMI, saying the image was inappropriate and “indicative of just how low the Livingston Democrat leadership has sunk.”

“The Livingston County Republican Party absolutely and unequivocally shuns the notion of hinting at, alluding to or otherwise suggesting violence toward any individual, including elected officials, regardless of the degree of disagreement with that official’s policies,” Drick wrote.

Drick said local Republicans opposed policies from former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden but did not want either harmed.

“However, we took issue with those policies. We didn’t want them harmed — just unelected,” Drick wrote.

Drick characterized the Democratic post as a “promotion of violence” and said it showed “a severe lack of judgment.” She called for whoever authored the post, as well as any Democratic leader who approved it or does not publicly reject it, to be removed from party leadership.

The post was no longer visible on the Livingston County Democrats’ Facebook page as of Thursday afternoon.