Feds charge Las Vegas man with making antisemitic death threats against Sen. Jacky Rosen
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen. Photo by Getty Images
(JTA) — A Las Vegas man threatened to kill Sen. Jacky Rosen, the Nevada Jewish Democrat, federal officials said, lacing his threats with antisemitic invective and anger at her advocacy for Israel while it is at war with Hamas.
Between Oct. 11 and Oct. 19, John Anthony Miller, 44, left numerous threatening messages on the office phone of a Nevada U.S. senator, the Nevada U.S. attorney said in a statement Monday announcing Miller’s arrest. On Oct. 17, “he threatened to assault, kidnap, or murder” her “with intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere” with her official duties, the statement said. The following day, he tried to enter a federal building where she keeps an office.
The statement and court papers filed Friday, when Miller appeared in court, do not name the senator, but Rosen’s office confirmed to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that she was the target.
In one of the Oct. 17 voicemails, Miller allegedly said, “You done picked your side, bitch, and you done chose evil. I don’t give a f— if you were born into it or not, bitch, you are f—ing evil, bitch, and we are going to exterminate you.”
In an Oct. 19 call, the caller lashed out at Rosen’s Jewish heritage and her Israel advocacy, according to the charges. He believed Rosen was going to advocate for American Israelis, whom he believes number 450,000, to return to the United States to commit war crimes.
“I’m pretty sure she would not make it illegal for these savage Israeli settlers to come back, and 450,000 of them are American and are able to commit war crimes and come back and forth, back and forth,” the caller said. “She lets her own family members kill these Palestinians in the West Bank.”
On Oct. 18, the charges allege, Miller attempted to enter Lloyd D. George Courthouse, where Rosen has an office. He was denied entry and allegedly walked down Las Vegas Boulevard shouting profanities, including “to kill every Israeli terror-f—ing-rist.”
Rosen, a former synagogue president, has been at the forefront of combating antisemitism and Israel advocacy in the Senate, chairing the Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism alongside Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford. Just days after Oct. 7, Rosen joined a bipartisan delegation to visit Israel and show support.
Her office issued a press release after that visit with the headline, “Senator Rosen Is The Only Jewish Woman And Former Synagogue President Serving In The United States Senate.”
The release quoted her saying, after meeting with families of Israelis taken hostage on Oct. 7, “As the only Jewish mother serving in the Senate, hearing their stories and seeing their pain and heartbreak was gut-wrenching. “
This article originally appeared on JTA.org.
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