GROWING THREATS AGAINST NEWSOM PROBED

Law enforcement officials are investigating escalating threats of death and violence against Gov. Gavin Newsom, his family and the wineries, shops and other businesses he founded.

A voicemail and emails provided to the Sacramento Bee contained graphic abusive language about Newsom, violent sexual threats against his wife and a reference to his children. The newspaper said one communication included a threat to burn down one of the wineries owned by Plumpjack Group, the hospitality company Newsom founded in 1992, with patrons inside.

Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services, said he couldn’t answer specific questions about the threats but confirmed that law enforcement agencies are investigating.

“We can confirm that we are aware of these threats,” Ferguson wrote in a statement. “Any threats against elected officials, including public or private property, are taken seriously and closely monitored by the appropriate local, state or federal law enforcement.”

The Democratic governor is the subject of a recall effort pushed by political foes angered over his aggressive approach to the coronavirus outbreak. Newsom received wide praise when he issued the nation’s first statewide stay-athome order last spring, but there has been growing public unrest over subsequent health orders that closed schools and businesses, and investigations continue into a massive unemployment benefits fraud scandal.

After the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Newsom canceled a planned news conference out of concern for his staff’s safety. He and other governors deployed the National Guard to protect state capitol buildings from threats of violence around Biden’s inauguration.

On Tuesday, the FBI charged a Napa County man with possessing homemade explosives who agents say was plotting to attack Newsom, according to a criminal complaint.