JOHN R. EMSHWILLER
The Wall Street Journal
January 12, 2011
The Justice Department filed a criminal complaint in Seattle federal court Wednesday against a California man for allegedly making threatening phone calls to U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott’s office.
Charles Habermann, a Palm Springs, Calif. man, allegedly made two “expletive-laden, threatening phone calls” to the Seattle office of Mr. McDermott (D., Wash.). The 32-year-old Mr. Habermann allegedly threatened to kill Mr. McDermott, his friends and his family and to put the congressman “in the trash.”
Authorities said Mr. Habermann was arrested Wednesday. Neither he nor an attorney for him could be reached for comment.
The charge against Mr. Habermann comes only days after Saturday’s shootings in Tucson, Ariz., in which six people were killed and 14 wounded, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head. Jared Loughner has been charged in Phoenix federal court with murder and attempted murder in that attack, which authorities have said they believe was aimed at Rep. Giffords. She was holding an open meeting for constituents at a shopping center in Tucson.
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