A Michigan woman was charged Wednesday after allegedly sending graphic threatening messages to a Republican member of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers.
Republicans William Hartmann and Monica Palmer came under intense threats and attacks after initially declining to certify the results of the November election.
After hours of hysterical statements and withering attacks, Hartmann and Palmer reversed their votes and signed off on the results.
State Rep.-elect Abraham Aiyash (D-Detroit) was one of the public speakers to invoke Palmer’s children, and speculated about their school:
What that tells us is you Ms. Monica Palmer of Grosse Pointe Woods, which has a history of racism, are deciding to enable and continuing to perpetuate the racist history of this country. And I want you to think about what that means for your kids, who probably go to Grosse Pointe North, and when they see all their Black classmates and they know that their mother, or their grandmother, their aunt, decided to say, in this democracy in this American project, that is not perfect but we have to work toward perfecting it, I’m going to be comfortable sleeping at night knowing that I silenced the votes of so many people.
The FBI said Katelyn Jones sent Palmer “photos of a mutilated body” the day after the contentious meeting, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The grotesque photo was accompanied by “I’d be a shame if something happened to your daughter at school,” according to investigators. Jones also used Instagram to make threats, the FBI said.
Jones, who has ties to Michigan, allegedly sent the threatening messages from New Hampshire.
“You have made a grave mistake. I hope you realize that now,” Jones said in a text message to Palmer, according to the FBI.
The paper said Jones admitted to making the threats because she thought Palmer was “interfering with the election,” a court filing said.
“The allegations in this case should make all of us disgusted,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said, the paper reported. “There is simply no place in Michigan, or in the United States, for chilling threats like this to people who are simply doing what they believe is correct.”
“I’d like to know why she felt that that was appropriate. I have friends on both sides of the aisle, Democrats, Republicans,” Palmer said after charges were filed, according to Yahoo.
“They may not have agreed with my vote. They picked up the phone, they called me, and they asked me why I voted the way I voted. They sent me an email and said, could you explain to me your viewpoint?” she said.
“They didn’t threaten to mutilate and kill my family. I’m still fearful. This woman that I don’t know has my name, my address, my phone number, my husband’s phone number, my employer’s information,” Palmer said.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.