An upstate New York man who was angry about Democrats’ impeachment of President Trump was charged with threatening to kill Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Adam Schiff for leading the effort, authorities said.
Salvatore Lippa, 57, of Greece, a Rochester suburb, left profanity-laced voice messages for the two lawmakers, including a Jan. 23 threat to “put a bullet” in Schiff’s head, the US Attorney’s Office said in a release.
Lippa allegedly left another message at Schumer’s office in Albany on Feb. 4 saying “somebody wants to assassinate you. I’m going to be the driver.”
Police questioned Lippa on Feb. 19 and he admitted he made the threatening calls “because he was upset about the impeachment proceedings,” federal prosecutors said.
James Kennedy, US attorney for the Western District of New York, said in a statement that Lippa’s First Amendment rights include a responsibility “not to threaten to kill others.”
Salvatore Lippa.WHAM“This office will remain vigilant in our effort to uphold the rule of law and to reinforce the idea that in America the entire concept of self-governance is fundamentally predicated on the responsibility that each of us has to control and govern our own behaviors,” Kennedy said.
Schumer, New York’s senior senator, and Schiff, a California congressman, led the charge to impeach Trump.
Democrats accused the president of threatening to withhold $391 million in military aid to Ukraine unless the country probed former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter over his business dealings there.
Democrats in the House voted to send two articles of impeachment to the GOP-controlled Senate, where Trump was acquitted on Feb. 5.
Both votes were largely along party lines.
Lippa was charged with threatening to assault and murder a federal official on account of the performance of their official duties and interstate communication threat, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said he is due to undergo a mental health evaluation and is due back in court March 23.
He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
With Post wires
