An Illinois man was charged with threatening to shoot a Republican congressman after being upset by TV ad
- An Illinois man is facing charges for allegedly threatening to kill a Republican representative after becoming incensed at a political ad, the Justice Department said in a complaint.
- Randall E. Tarr of Rochester, Illinois, left a voicemail for Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois in which he says he would like to shoot Davis's "head off" after seeing him in a television ad.
- Tarr told the Associated Press that he had seen Davis say that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.
- Since House Democrats announced the impeachment inquiry, President Donald Trump and some GOP lawmakers have baselessly claimed that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election to benefit the Democratic Party, of which there has been no evidence.
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An Illinois man has been charged by federal prosecutors for allegedly threatening to kill a Republican representative after becoming incensed at a political ad.
A complaint from the US Attorney's Office says 64-year-old Randall E. Tarr of Rochester, Illinois, left a voicemail for Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois in which he says he would like to shoot Davis's "head off" after seeing him on television.
Tarr, who identified himself as a "sharpshooter" who had served in the military for eight years, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on charges of communication of a threat to injure a person and threatening a federal official, according to the affidavit.
Tarr told the Associated Press that he had seen a television ad in which Davis said that Ukraine, rather than Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.
In the voicemail transcribed in the affidavit, Tarr allegedly pushed Davis for appearing to "go against our military and back the Russians?"
The AP report did not identify the exact commercial Tarr saw, but a spokesperson for Davis told NBC News that the congressman believes the conclusion of the US intelligence committee that Russia is responsible for interfering in the 2016 US presidential election, though the report notes that he previously appeared to be open to further investigation.
Ukraine has been at the center of talking points for President Donald Trump and his allies after House Democrats introduced the impeachment inquiry against the president, which centers on centers around the false claim that Hunter Biden profited from illegal business dealings in Ukraine and that former Vice President Joe Biden tried to cover it up while in office.
Trump, GOP-affiliated lawmakers, and Rudy Giuliani, his lead attorney, have pushed the corruption narrative in addition to baselessly claiming that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election to benefit the Democratic Party, of which there has been no evidence.
Tarr was released from custody but is being monitored before he is slated to appear in court on Tuesday, the Justice Department said in the complaint.