Infectious disease scientist Dr. Anthony Fauci and his family were allegedly threatened with being “dragged into the street, beaten to death, and set on fire” by a 56-year-old man.
A federal criminal complaint filed Monday charged Thomas Patrick Connally Jr. of Greenbelt, Maryland, with threats against a federal official and interstate communication containing a threat of harm.
“We will never tolerate violent threats against public officials,” acting US Attorney Jonathan Lenzner said in the complaint. “Our public health officials deserve our thanks and appreciation for their tireless work, and we will not hesitate to bring charges against those individuals who seek to use fear to silence these public servants.”
Connally allegedly told Fauci to “blow your own fucking brains out” in threatening emails from December 2020 to July 2021, calling him a “liar” and a “fraud.” Investigators say the threats against Fauci and his family came from a Swiss-based provider of encrypted services.
The subject line of two emails Fauci received in December 2020 read, “Hope you get a bullet in your compromised satanic elf skull today.” According to the criminal complaint’s supporting document, seven emails were sent to him from the encrypted email account on April 24. Fauci is also encouraged to commit suicide in emails, which contained death threats against him and his family.
Connally Jr. faces up to 10 years in federal prison for making threats against a government official and up to five years in prison for making threats over the telephone if convicted.
Since the coronavirus pandemic has progressed, conservatives’ frustration with COVID-19 restrictions has boiled over into more hostility, so this isn’t the first time Fauci and his family have received death threats.
Earlier this week, the Washington Post reported that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had announced a campaign that included drink koozies and T-shirts that read “Don’t Fauci My Florida.” As Tucker Carlson put it, Fauci is a “fraud” and should be investigated for his role in the origins of COVID-19. In April, Republican members of the House introduced the “Fire Fauci Act.”
Conservatives have also targeted Fauci because of his strained relationship with Donald Trump. As the doctor explained to The New York Times earlier this year, getting Trump to take his scientific advice was challenging.
Fauci told the Times, “I would try to express the gravity of the situation, and the response of the president was always leaning toward, ‘Well, it’s not that bad, right?’ And I would say, ‘Yes, it is that bad.'”
According to The New York Times, Fauci has been outspoken about death threats against him and his family, which he claims began as early as March 2020. In one instance, he received an envelope that contained powder that exploded all over his face and chest.
“Getting death threats for me and my family and harassing my daughters to the point where I have to get security is just, I mean, it’s amazing,” Fauci stated last year in an online forum. He described the threats as “unseemly things that crises bring out in people.”
In terms of COVID-19 cases, Fauci told CNN last week that the US is “going in the wrong direction.” He blamed the increase in infections on unvaccinated Americans, particularly the more contagious Delta strain.
On Wednesday, Connally is scheduled to appear in federal court.
ALERT: Man charged in Maryland with sending threatening emails to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Threatening to beat, kill and lynchMan criticizes vaccines too, per feds
Court docs cite growing number of threats against Dr Fauci. Security is enhanced
(Warning — vulgar & triggers) pic.twitter.com/YJ71RyZ0vk
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 27, 2021
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