FBI arrests man for threats to Pelosi on healthcare
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A California man has been arrested for making threatening phone calls to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over legislation overhauling the U.S. healthcare system, a federal law enforcement official and Pelosi’s office said on Wednesday.
The official declined to give further details because the case remained under seal in federal court in California, but it marked the latest arrest for threats sent to lawmakers who supported the legislation.
“There have been a number of threatening communications sent to members of Congress since the bill was passed. We take them seriously. You are going to see more people being arrested because of that,” the official said.
On Capitol Hill, Pelosi’s office said in a statement the FBI had arrested a suspect accused of making threatening phone calls to the lawmaker.
“After an investigation into threats made against Speaker Pelosi, an arrest has been made in San Francisco,” Pelosi’s spokesman, Brendan Daly, said.
“The Speaker thanks the FBI, the Capitol Hill Police, House Sergeant at Arms, and other law enforcement officials for their professionalism in this matter. She will have no further comment at this time,” he said in a statement.
The California Democrat played an important role in pushing through the legislation backed by President Barack Obama to revamp the country’s healthcare system.
The speaker ranks second in the line of succession to the presidency, right after the vice president.
Jack Gillund, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Northern California, refused to confirm or deny the story about the arrest.
Prosecutors in Washington state said on Tuesday a 64-year-old man had been arrested and charged with threatening to kill Democratic Senator Patty Murray because of her votes backing the healthcare legislation.
According to an FBI affidavit filed in a U.S. court, Charles Wilson made profanity-laced threats to hurt and kill Murray in voicemail messages left at her office starting around March 22. Obama signed the healthcare legislation on March 23. Wilson could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
Last week, a Pennsylvania man was arrested for threatening to kill the No. 2 Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eric Cantor, in a video posted on YouTube.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters)
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