Mattituck farmer takes down '86 47' sign after Secret Service questions him

When Douglas Cooper hangs a large American flag from a crane outside his North Fork farm stand around Memorial Day and Veterans Day, he’ll often add a sign with a message saying “Thank you," he said.

For Independence Day this year, as the nation celebrated its 250th anniversary, the 78-year-old farmer and Mattituck school board vice president opted for a message directed at the highest office in the nation. In red lettering, he wrote “86 47” on a board posted above the flag that hung over Breakwater Road.

“That means, let’s throw the bum out,” he said of President Donald Trump, the 47th president.

The sign has since been taken down after a visit Tuesday from members of the Secret Service who investigated the perceived threat against the president and stirred local debate over the limits of free speech and whether school officials should be held to different standards. The term "86" commonly means to remove something but has been construed in conservative circles as having a more violent undertone when referencing Trump.

Cooper, in an interview Friday with Newsday at the farm stand where he's sold tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and more for decades, said he had no intention of promoting violence.

The Secret Service visit, first reported Friday by The Suffolk Times, lasted about 30 minutes, said Cooper, a registered Republican who did not vote for Trump. He described the two agents as professional and courteous and said he understood they had a job to do.

“I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” he said. “We have freedom of speech. I just wanted to make my views known.”

Cooper said he took the flag down for good Thursday and only keeps it up for a couple of days around holidays. The crane he uses to hoist the flag wouldn't start earlier in the week, when he first wanted to take it down, due to the rain, he said.

A similar “86 47” message landed former FBI Director James Comey in hot water and facing a two-count indictment, as prosecutors alleged a photo he posted of the phrase was a threat against Trump.

A spokesperson for the Secret Service said in an email Friday the agency investigates “anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees” but did not comment specifically on Cooper.

Judy Thilberg, 75, a longtime Mattituck resident, said she noticed the sign on Fourth of July morning while heading to Breakwater Beach. She found it to be “inappropriate” and a wrong message for kids, she said.

She said if Cooper were merely a farmer, it wouldn’t have bothered her. But in his capacity as an elected member of the school board in the community where she lives, she believes he should be held to a higher standard and avoid derogatory political messaging.

Thilberg posted a photo of Cooper’s sign on her Facebook page earlier this week along with a copy of an email she sent to the president of the school board calling it “disgraceful.”

“People can have their own opinion,” she said in an interview. “He can put a sign out that he hates Trump and everything else. I don’t care. But when you’re the vice president of the school board, you’re trying to educate these kids.”

Cooper said he had no concerns about posting the sign given his role as the school board’s vice president. He said he notified the school superintendent about the Secret Service visit and explained what happened.

He said it’s “up to the public” to decide whether he serves on the board.

Cooper attended Thursday night’s school board meeting, and the Secret Service visit was not discussed during the public portion, according to a video of the meeting.

Board President Patricia Arslanian could not be reached for comment Friday.

Suffolk Legis. Greg Doroski, a Democrat who represents the community, said federal agents questioning people over political speech is “an attack on the foundations of our democracy.”

Cooper said he has become disillusioned with the GOP in recent years under both Trump administrations. 

“We’ve given up our honor, our principles, our morality, everything,” he said. “Just so that we can win and have the power.”

He said he views himself as an “independent Republican” now and is willing to vote for members of either party.

He said Trump can’t be trusted and that “there’s very little to respect about the man.”

Liz Weiss, 85, of Jamesport, drove to the farm stand Friday morning with her daughter to support Cooper.

“You’re a brave and smart man,” she said to the farmer.