ATLANTA – A Gwinnett County man has been charged in federal court with threatening two U.S. senators and their families.
Robert Davis Forney, 25, of Duluth allegedly called the offices of Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., in January and left voice mails threating sexual violence against both senators and members of Cruz’ family.
“Targeting public officials with threatening messages is a serious federal crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. We will not hesitate to arrest and charge others who engage in similar criminal conduct.”
Forney was arraigned on Monday, the same day a man in Minnesota accused of murdering one Democratic state lawmaker and shooting another made his first court appearance. Vance Boelter, 57, was captured Sunday after an extensive manhunt, a day after the killings.
Boelter allegedly had prepared a list of 45 elected elected officials – all Democrats – he allegedly was planning to murder.
Republicans and Democrats alike, including President Donald Trump, condemned the shootings and said political violence should have no place in America.
The Georgia case is part of a nationwide initiative aimed at eliminating cartels and other multi-national criminal organizations. Operation Take Back America uses resources from the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.