A man hailing from Erie County, New York was arrested after allegedly leaving House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) a voicemail insinuating harm against his children in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s border enforcement policies.
Carlos Bayon, a 63-year-old man residing in Grand Island, stands accused of issuing an interstate threat.
“Hey listen, this message is for you and the people that sent you there. You are taking ours, we are taking yours. Anytime, anywhere,” Bayon allegedly threatened Rep. Scalise on June 30. He allegedly continued:
We know where they are. We are not going to feed them sandwiches, we are going to feed them lead. Make no mistake you will pay. Ojo por ojo, diente por diente. That is our law and we are the majority. Have a good day.
In a statement to The Hill, spokeswoman Lauren Fine said: “Whip Scalise is grateful to law enforcement for their actions. He will never forget how their heroism saved his life and those of his colleagues last year. As he has said before, there is absolutely no place in our political discourse for violent threats.”
In June 2017, James T. Hodgkinson — a onetime Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) campaign volunteer — wounded five people, including Rep. Scalise, after opening fire on a Republican Congressional baseball team practice in Alexandria, VA. House Majority Whip returned to Congress following four months of surgeries and rehabilitation.
Bayon is also accused of leaving a similar threatening voice note to an unnamed Washington State congressman. The Grand Island man, if convicted, could face up to five years in jail and a maximum fine of $250,000.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.