A Georgia man was arraigned Monday on charges of communicating threats in interstate commerce in connection with threatening sexual violence against Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Deb Fischer of Nebraska, federal prosecutors said.
Robert Davis Forney of Duluth left voicemails in January threatening sexual violence against the two senators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia alleged. Forney, 25, is also accused of threatening Cruz’s family.
Forney’s arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge follows his indictment by a federal grand jury in Georgia last week, prosecutors said.
Spokespeople for Cruz and Fischer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday night.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia condemned political violence against elected officials in a statement.
“Threatening our elected officials and their families is an act of violence that undermines our entire democracy,” Hertzberg said. “Political discourse and disagreements never justify resorting to vile attacks against our nation’s leaders.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown offered a similar sentiment, saying in a statement that there “is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States.”
U.S. Capitol Police, which is also investigating the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday night.
The arraignment follows a growing trend of political violence against elected officials.
A Minnesota man was taken into custody on Sunday night in connection with the fatal shooting of Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injuring another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife in what authorities have called “politically motivated” attacks.
U.S. Capitol Police said in February that threat assessment cases had grown for a second consecutive year in 2024, highlighting its investigation of 9,474 concerning statements and direct threats against the members of Congress, their families and staff last year and 8,008 threats in 2023.
Following Saturday’s Minnesota attacks, the Senate is holding an all-members briefing on Tuesday focused on security for lawmakers.
