A man from Las Vegas has been indicted for issuing threats against a senator representing Nevada in the U.S. Congress.
The senator, Jacky Rosen, a Democrat and member of the Jewish faith, was identified by her office as the subject of the threats, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The accused, John Anthony Miller, 43, faces a federal charge for transmitting a threat, with allegations based on a series of voicemail messages, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada’s office announced. The statement released indicated that Miller’s threats encompassed potential violence, abduction, or assassination of the senator.
Miller was taken into custody on a Thursday, with a preliminary court hearing scheduled for November 13.
The charging documents state that on October 17, a vitriolic and vulgar voicemail referred to Senator Rosen as less than human and made threatening remarks, implying a desire to carry out an agenda similar to that of Adolf Hitler. Additional calls that same day included obscene language, with one stating the senator had chosen evil and another threatening extermination.
In a call on October 19, during which Miller allegedly identified himself, the caller made accusations against Rosen regarding the treatment of Palestinians and Christians in the West Bank and uttered curses and further threats.
An incident on October 18 at the Lloyd D. George Courthouse in Las Vegas is also noted in the complaint. An individual, identified as Miller, became irate after being denied entry, making inflammatory remarks against Israelis and causing a scene on Las Vegas Boulevard.
The complaint includes an image purported to be of Miller holding a Palestinian flag.
On October 24, another menacing call was made to Senator Rosen’s office, threatening her and her family’s safety.
The Anti-Defamation League notes that since October 7, following a significant terrorist attack by Hamas that resulted in numerous civilian casualties, there has been a 388 percent spike in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S.
A spokesperson for Senator Rosen stated that threats to public officials are a grave concern and expressed confidence in the ability of the federal judicial and law enforcement agencies to address this situation appropriately, as per the Review-Journal.
Senator Rosen has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, particularly in the aftermath of the terrorist attack by Hamas.
