‘We are the ones your children have nightmares about’: Maryland man charged with threatening to kidnap Biden, Harris
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Federal prosecutors have charged a Maryland man with threatening a presidential candidate, saying he wrote a letter in which he warns of beating “Grandpa Biden,” raping Sen. Kamala Harris and targeting supporters of the Democrats.
“We have a list of homes and addresses by your election signs. We are the ones with those scary guns, We are the ones your children have nightmares about,” James Dale Reed, 42, allegedly wrote.
The Frederick man was captured Oct. 4 by a home security camera leaving the threatening letter on a doorstep in Frederick, prosecutors wrote in charging documents.
Reed was arrested last week by Frederick Police. He remains held without bail. When interviewed by police last week, Reed admitted to writing the letter, the prosecutors wrote.
He allegedly explained to them “this will happen," referencing the contentious presidential race and state of national politics. And he said that he didn’t know the homeowner, but left the letter at the first house he came upon with yard signs for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate.
The letter spells out in graphic detail the violent actions he allegedly plans to take against the candidates. Online court records did not list his attorney.
U.S. Attorney for Maryland Robert Hur said he takes such threats “extremely seriously.”
“Conduct like this that threatens major candidates and fellow citizens only undermines our democracy and the principles upon which America was founded. We will not tolerate threatening conduct that seeks to intimidate, harass or dissuade Americans from exercising their right to vote," Hur said in a statement from his office.
The case is just the latest example of politically-themed violence and threats in the run up to the 2020 Presidential Election on Nov. 3.
This story will be updated.
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