The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a Rochester-area man has been charged with threatening to kill New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and California Rep. Adam Schiff.
It’s alleged that on Jan. 23, the Washington, D.C. office of Schiff got a voicemail that included a death threat. On Feb. 4, officials say the Albany office of Schumer received a threatening voicemail that also contained a death threat.
The threats were reported to the U.S. Capitol Police, and their investigation traced the calls to Salvatore Lippa II, 57, of Greece, NY. Authorities say that when agents from the Capitol Police questioned Lippa, he admitted to making the threatening calls to Schiff and Schumer because he was upset about the impeachment proceedings.
“The rights secured in our Constitution carry with them certain responsibilities,” stated U.S. Attorney James Kennedy. “When it comes to the First Amendment, that responsibility includes the obligation not to threaten to kill others. This Office will remain vigilant in our effort to uphold the rule of law and to reinforce the ideal that in America the entire concept of self-governance is fundamentally predicated on the responsibility that each of us has to control and govern our own behaviors.”
Greece Police and the U.S. Marshals Service were also involved in the investigation.
Lippa now faces federal charges that include threatening to assault and murder a federal official on account of the performance of their official duties. He made an initial federal court appearance and was released with orders to undergo a mental health evaluation.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
