A San Francisco man was hit with federal charges for allegedly sending Rep. Maxine Waters a death threat that contained a racial slur and was signed on behalf of the KKK.
On Wednesday, 71-year-old Michael Anthony Gallagher, was charged with mailing threatening communications - a federal offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
He is accused of sending the Democratic congresswoman a postcard in January 2019 that contained a death threat.
Maxine Waters, a prominent Democrat who has served California's 43rd district since 1991, has been the target of death threats for years now
'The Sheriff of Stanislaus County says you and your w**backs are s***,' Gallagher allegedly wrote. 'We will successfully put a bullet in your head. -+KKK.'
'The Sheriff of Stanislaus County says you and your w**backs are s***,' Gallagher allegedly wrote. 'We will successfully put a bullet in your head. -+KKK.'
The slur used was one aimed at the Latino community, Mercury News reported.
The criminal complaint against Gallagher was filed last January and remains sealed, details of Gallagher's alleged death threat were only made public via Wednesday's court filing.
The 71-year-old initially appeared in court in March and was released.
Gallagher pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Waters, who has served California's 43rd district since 1991, has been the target of death threats for years now.
A man is accused of sending Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters a postcard in January 2019 that contained a death threat and a racial slur
The congresswoman says the death threats have intensified following her vocal criticism of then-President Donald Trump.
In March, Waters said she received threatening phone messages sent to her from a man in Kansas who told her 'I got an AK47 and I'll use it if I have to,' and another similar message from a man in Mississippi, spectrumnews.com reported.
Waters said that Capitol Police were investigating the threats and other menacing calls that were made to her at the time.
In a statement, her office placed the blame for the threats on Trump.
'The uptick in death threats against Congresswoman Waters began during former President Donald Trump's term—including a threat made just weeks before the Capitol attack,' the statement said.
'The threats to Rep. Waters persist today due to his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and his ongoing, implicit support and encouragement of domestic terrorists in the United States,' the statement added.
