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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi visited Downtown Tampa on Friday to discuss political violence. During that news conference, Bondi announced the arrest of a San Diego man who is accused of sending a threatening letter to conservative political commentator Benny Johnson in Tampa.
“This was a coward, hiding behind a keyboard, who thought he could get away with this,” Bondi said.
Bondi is referring to a letter 69 -year-old George Isbell Jr. mailed to Johnson, according to authorities.
It stated, in part, “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red.”
Bondi warned that anyone making threats will be found and charged. She also confirmed this is an issue facing Republicans and Democrats.
“You are not going to get away with threatening people this way,” Bondi said.
Federal prosecutors said the letter was mailed from California about a week after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed, who was Johnson’s close friend.
“The individual who wrote me described why he wanted me dead. I was a white, cis, Christian, Trump supporter. They described in open detail how I would be killed in an open field just like Charlie,” Johnson said.
Johnson then placed blame on the Democratic Party. Republicans typically refer to the party as “the Democrat Party.”
“Violence has been mainstreamed by ‘the Democrat Party.’ It’s not extremist. It is mainstream and we need a moment of reckoning here. This has to stop,” Johnson said.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said she understands Johnson’s concerns since she too has dealt with threats of political violence.
“We always condemn political violence. It has no place in American society. It has no place in our political conversations,” Fried said.
The state party leader also pushed back on Johnson pointing the finger at one party.
“It’s also very irresponsible for anybody in these moments to be accusing one side or the other to ginning up more of the divide in our state. These are things we need to come together and agree upon,” Fried said.
The suspect is charged with mailing threatening communications. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. Isbell’s attorney could not be reached for comment.