U.S. Capitol Police investigating e-mailed threat to Cohen; FBI alerted

The Memphis Commercial Appeal ^ | 4/6/10 | Bartholomew Sullivan

[Sybeck1]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol Police are investigating an E-mailed threat to U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen's campaign committee, and the FBI in Memphis is aware of the threat and is taking it seriously, spokesmen for both agencies said today.

Someone with a Yahoo.com address sent the message to a Cohen for Congress website saying, "If our tea parties had hoods, we would burn your ass on a cross on the White House front lawn." The reference to hoods followed a Cohen interview last week in which he described TEA Party activists using racial epithets "without robes and hoods" of the Ku Klux Klan.

The law enforcement scrutiny occurred on the same day federal agents arrested a Yakima, Wash., man for making death threats against Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., for her support of health care reform. No arrests have been made in connection with the Cohen threat.

"The FBI takes seriously any threat to a congressman and would definitely investigate to the fullest," FBI spokesman Joel E. Siskovic said this afternoon.

But he said the FBI, relying on guidance from the Attorney General, has to take into consideration "constitutionally protected freedom of speech and any other protected activities under the Constitution" and "is not going to initiate any kind of investigation that's based solely on that kind of activity."

Beyond that, Siskovik said he could not comment on "any potential or ongoing investigation with regard to the threat to the congressman."

U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said the threat is being handled as "an open case."

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[TNdandelion]

He’s now saying he was misunderstood and not apologizing for poking people with sticks.

[onemiddleamerican]

"If our tea parties had hoods, we would burn your ass on a cross on the White House front lawn."

That's a threat?? THAT'S no threat!

My take on this "threat" was similar to yours. I would like to see the email in its entirety, as I suspect that the quote up top there is clipped, and there is more that we aren't seeing. Something like this:

"If our tea parties had hoods, we would burn your ass on a cross on the White House front lawn. We don't wear hoods, as your colleague in the Senate, Robert 'KKK' Byrd did; we aren't the KKK, he is. Proof of our peaceful nature is that your slimy ass is still alive. We do, however, plan to do everything in our power to unseat you in November."

[bushpilot1]

“parties”

[Wisconsinlady]

So the Congressman can say what he wants about the American Public but we don’t have the right to defend ourselves?

[mojitojoe]

I would bet a cool million it was sent by a lefty. Hell Obongo probably sent it himself.

[Slings and Arrows]

That’s a lot of donuts.

[Slings and Arrows]

No surprise here, either.

[Revel]

At least one person here passed reading comprehension. You have it exactly right. I can’t believe how long it took someone to get it. Do so many people just fly off the handle without comprehending what is being said.

[skully]

“If our tea parties had hoods, we would burn your ass on a cross on the White House front lawn.” The reference to hoods followed a Cohen interview last week in which he described TEA Party activists using racial epithets “without robes and hoods” of the Ku Klux Klan.

So this e-mailer ties himself to the Tea Parties, makes only racist comments, and then makes reference to comments Cohen made about protesters allegedly using racial slurs at the health care rally, that no one seems to have been able to record. As though confirming what Cohen is probably making up in the first place. But not once does he reference any of the TEA Parties’ actual tenets; like small government, lower taxes, no more corruption, etc?? Instead this e-mail just fits and only fits perfectly the template the MSM just made up 2 weeks ago about the Tea-Parties. It fits the design just a little too perfectly...I hope they catch this lefty poser, even liberals pretending to be Conservatives shouldn't be allowed to threaten Congressmen.

[SaraJohnson]

Liberals know what they are doing with the race hate game. They are inciting white racists to talk about to them - as they play the role of representatives of black racists.

If they get threats from white racists, they wanted them and they know what they are doing. It has nothing to do with the Tea Parties and everything to do with liberalism’s anti-white race hate spewing. They say that “the tea parties are white racism...” And they know they will get a response from the edges of society where liberals reside.