A Montana man, Richard Rogers, is set to be sentenced on Wednesday for threatening former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Rogers, 45, of Billings, faces potential prison time after being convicted of threatening a member of Congress and making harassing phone calls to the FBI and congressional staff.
The incident stemmed from Rogers' anger over the government's failure to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that floated over his hometown. Prosecutors revealed that Rogers made over 100 calls to McCarthy's office in just 75 minutes, delivering the threat to a staffer one day after the Pentagon confirmed tracking the spy balloon, which was later taken down off the Atlantic Coast.
During the trial, Rogers claimed his calls were a form of civil disobedience, stating that he simply wanted to be heard. However, prosecutors argued that threats against public officials are not protected by the First Amendment and requested a two-year prison sentence to deter such behavior.
Threats against public officials have been on the rise in recent years, with over 8,000 threats to lawmakers investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police in 2023 alone. This case is part of a concerning trend that includes threats against various public figures, such as former Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester.
As Rogers awaits his sentencing, the court will weigh the severity of his actions and the need to uphold the law while ensuring that threats against public officials are not tolerated in a democratic society.
