Minneapolis man accused of threatening to kill U.S. Congress member

By WCCO Staff

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minneapolis man faces charges for allegedly threatening to kill a member of the United States Congress, according to federal officials.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota said 52-year-old Michael Lewis is charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and one count of interstate transmission of a threat to injure the other person.

The attorney’s office did not say which congressperson was targeted, but said Lewis called her office on March 26 and left a voicemail saying he would kill her.

“Federal law protects our elected officials from this sort of violent, unhinged, and murderous rhetoric,” Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick said. “It is entirely unacceptable. Defendants who attempt to terrorize public officials in this way will face the full weight of federal justice.”

Lewis appeared in court Friday and will stay in custody until his next hearing on Wednesday.

The FBI and U.S. Capitol Police investigated the threat.

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