Ramaswamy was target of death threats that led to FBI arrest, campaign says
CONCORD, N.H. — A New Hampshire man has been accused of sending text messages threatening to kill a presidential candidate ahead of a scheduled campaign event Monday, federal prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney’s office did not name the candidate. However, a spokesperson for Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Monday hold his event at the Roundthat the texts were directed about Diner & Lounge in at his campaign. Portsmouth.
“We are grateful to law According to court docu- enforcement for their swift- ments, the man received a ness and professionalism in text message from the can- handling this matter and didate’s campaign on Friday pray for the safety of all notifying him of Monday’s Americans,” Stefan Mychaj- breakfast event in Ports- liw, deputy communications mouth. The campaign staff director, said in a statement. received two text messages
Tyler Anderson, 30, of in response, according to Dover, was arrested Satur- an FBI agent affidavit. One day and charged with send- threatened to shoot the can- ing a threat using interstate didate in the head; the other commerce. He did not speak threatened to kill everyone at his initial court appear- at the event and desecrate ance Monday other than their corpses. telling the judge he underThe cellphone number stood the proceedings, and was traced to the man, the his court-appointed attorney FBI said. Agents executed a declined to comment after- search warrant at the man’s ward. A detention hearing home Saturday. The texts was scheduled for Thursday. were found in a deleted
Ramaswamy went on to folder, the affidavit said.
The man told the FBI in an interview that he had sent similar texts to “multiple other campaigns,” the affidavit said. The document includes a screenshot of texts threatening a mass shooting in response to an invitation to see a candidate “who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is.” Republican Chris Christie calls his events “Tell it Like It Is Town Halls.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Christie campaign thanked law enforcement officials for addressing those threats.
The charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.