A New York man has pleaded guilty to sending threatening voicemails to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene last year.
Joseph Francis Morelli, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts of interstate threatening communications over the messages he left the congresswoman in March.
“Yeah, I just don’t think I can go on letting you, you know, cause hatred and poison to people,” said Morelli in the first message. “I really think I’m gonna have to cause you harm — physical harm. You’re putting commercials where you blow up a car, and you just … You’re just a horrible person.”
The message continued, “you know, you can file charges, and we can go to court. I can tell them what asshole you are and how bad you are for humanity. You’re a pile of sh-t, and if you keep up with this hatred and people get hurt, I’m gonna hurt you. Physically, I’m gonna harm you. Okay, scum bag?”
In the second message, Morelli said he could “pay someone 500 bucks to take a baseball bat and crack your skull,” adding, “you are going to get f-cking physically hurt.” He continued, “you’ve got a big f-cking mouth, and I’m gonna show you what violence is really about.”
Morelli also provided his name and phone number, saying that he would harm members of law enforcement if they attempted to take him into custody.
“I’m gonna make sure that, even if they lock me up, someone’s gonna get you ’cause I’ll pay them to,” the final message said.
Greene’s office passed the threats to the FBI through the United States Capitol Police Threat Assessment Section.
The New Yorker was raided by heavily armed Endicott police and arrested on March 16, 2022. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday.
Morelli is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1. He is facing up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to a report from The Hill, new data released in January showed that the US Capitol Police investigated 7,501 threats against members of Congress in 2022. Though the number is high, it is down from 9,625 threats in 2021 and 8,613 threats in 2020.
“The threats against Members of Congress are still too high,” Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a press release obtained by the outlet. “This has resulted in a necessary expansion of, not only our investigative capabilities, but our protection responsibilities as well.”
“While that work is ongoing, everyone continuing to decrease violent political rhetoric across the country is the best way to keep everyone safe,” he continued.
