An Ohio man was charged Thursday with weapons offenses and making threats after he posted on Facebook that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) “should be shot.”
According to the Daily Wire, police investigated Timothy Ireland, 41, of Toledo after a screenshot was sent to them of Ireland’s threatening post. The Facebook post contained an article about Ocasio-Cortez with the caption: “She should be shot. Can’t fire me, my employer would load the gun for me.”
Police discovered an ammunition stockpile when they searched Ireland’s home, and also discovered that Ireland was a felon and was wanted on several outstanding warrants. Ireland had failed to appear in a Sarasota, Florida court on a charge of violating his probation and had also failed to appear in court for a marijuana possession charge in Cook County, Georgia, authorities say.
Ireland was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, and one count of making interstate threats, Fox News reported. The charges carry a combined sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
“No place” for threats
“There is absolutely no place in the marketplace of ideas for threats of violence against any person, especially those who are elected to represent the American people,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman said in a statement. “Disagreement on political issues cannot lead to acts of violence, and if it does, we will seek federal prison time.”
The criminal complaint against Ireland said that he admitted to investigators during a phone interview that he carries concealed firearms and hunts for sport. He also claimed to be “very proud” of his Facebook post.
He also said that “everyone” knows that he has guns.
Not the first time for AOC
Ocasio-Cortez has said that she has received numerous death threats since taking office in early 2019. Two Louisiana police officers were fired last month after posting on Facebook that she should be shot.
Moreover, Christopher Paul Hasson, a self-proclaimed white nationalist, had AOC on a hit list before being arrested in February. Also on the hit list were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
In addition, Patrick W. Carlineo, Jr. was arrested in April after he called Ocasio-Cortez’s office in March, asked if she was a terrorist, and threatened to “put a bullet in her [censored] skull.” Carlineo faces up to 10 years in jail and/or a $250,000 fine for his actions.
Ocasio-Cortez has had a high profile since taking office because of her extreme left-wing views, including open borders and enacting the Green New Deal, an environmental bill that would cost taxpayers trillions of dollars in an attempt to significantly reduce U.S. carbon emissions.
Even so, threats against any politician are wrong, no matter how much disagreement there is with their views. AOC’s politics may be repugnant, but she has a right to espouse them like anyone else.