Nancy Pelosi
A Texas man is accused of threatening Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Judging by the details in the allegations, there was absolutely no equivocation in a March 23 post to Facebook.
“Dems of the establishment will be removed at any cost necessary and yes that means by death,” defendant Gavin Weslee Blake Perry, 27, allegedly wrote on March 23, according to The Department of Justice.
He is charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Online federal records show no defense lawyer.
Authorities said they started looking into Perry’s post after a concerned person contacted the Wichita Falls Police Department.
Apparently, the defendant isn’t a big fan of Democrats. He allegedly said that Pelosi and people who worked closely with her were part of a “satanic cult.”
In another March 23 post, he addressed Democrats and members of “the establishment” as criminals and terrorists, authorities said. He allegedly told people to “Go SOS [shoot on sight] and use live rounds.”
Taking the DOJ’s account at face value, he hedged no words.
“Shoot to kill,” he allegedly wrote. “This is a revolution.”
According to federal prosecutors, law enforcement confronted Perry about this. He admitted it was his Facebook account (“Gavinwbperry”), and said he wanted to warn Americans about the government. Perry allegedly argued that authorities were violating his First Amendment right to free speech, and said that he felt this was punishable by death, according to the DOJ.
From the press release:
He also stated he intended to bond out of jail and planned to refuse to comply with any order to come to court. He said he does not recognize the authority of the federal government.
The First Amendment does not protect “true threats” or incitements to “imminent lawless action.” And no, violations of free speech are not punishable by death.
[Image via Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]