Most of those threats were made online, reflecting just one way people can convey their most vulgar feelings toward those on other sides of public policy disputes.
Prosecutors say Mr. McGowan returned to Twitter days later to brag about his threats to kill the congressman.
The intent of the person ranting and the level of intent they represent are thorny issues for law enforcement, which must navigate between First Amendment rights and genuine threats.
"We don't want law enforcement to overreact and police-protected political speech, but I think so far they have done a reasonably good job of investigating when people are issuing a true threat that we ought to worry about."
Although the occupant of the White House gets the brunt of threats, the 535 members of Congress, often very visible in their communities, also are targets.
The FBI investigated the shooting incident and determined that "We are not seeing a sustained trend in criminal threats to members of Congress," agency spokeswoman Nora Scheland said.
Eva Malecki, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, which provides protection for members of Congress both in Washington and in their home districts, declined to discuss how her office is addressing the spate of threats.
An undetermined number of lawmakers reportedly said they were receiving frequent death threats and requested more security.
Olson, 57, of Fargo, North Dakota, was sentenced on May 15 to a year and a day in prison for delivering his threats via interstate commerce.
Mr. Seaton was living in a motel in southeastern Colorado and then his van as his life unraveled and his threats multiplied, federal prosecutors said.
Mr. Seaton, who remains in custody, has made dozens of similar threats to other lawmakers, prosecutors say, based on "a long-standing delusion that federal police or military have been terrorizing him."
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/24/republicans-congress-face-death-threats-anti-trump/
Prosecutors say Mr. McGowan returned to Twitter days later to brag about his threats to kill the congressman.
The intent of the person ranting and the level of intent they represent are thorny issues for law enforcement, which must navigate between First Amendment rights and genuine threats.
"We don't want law enforcement to overreact and police-protected political speech, but I think so far they have done a reasonably good job of investigating when people are issuing a true threat that we ought to worry about."
Although the occupant of the White House gets the brunt of threats, the 535 members of Congress, often very visible in their communities, also are targets.
The FBI investigated the shooting incident and determined that "We are not seeing a sustained trend in criminal threats to members of Congress," agency spokeswoman Nora Scheland said.
Eva Malecki, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, which provides protection for members of Congress both in Washington and in their home districts, declined to discuss how her office is addressing the spate of threats.
An undetermined number of lawmakers reportedly said they were receiving frequent death threats and requested more security.
Olson, 57, of Fargo, North Dakota, was sentenced on May 15 to a year and a day in prison for delivering his threats via interstate commerce.
Mr. Seaton was living in a motel in southeastern Colorado and then his van as his life unraveled and his threats multiplied, federal prosecutors said.
Mr. Seaton, who remains in custody, has made dozens of similar threats to other lawmakers, prosecutors say, based on "a long-standing delusion that federal police or military have been terrorizing him."
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/24/republicans-congress-face-death-threats-anti-trump/
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