A Palm Beach County man was arrested this week after federal officials say he threatened to kill U.S House Rep. Eric Swalwell and his family, officials say.
Michael Shapiro, 72, of Greenacres, is charged with making an interstate threatening communication after he left five threatening voicemails at the representative’s D.C office in late December, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint did not name Swalwell, a California representative who ran for president in 2020. His identity was confirmed by his office.
“There is no place in America for threats of political violence,” Swalwell said in a statement. “We must always resolve our differences at the ballot box. While I will continue to protect my family and staff, these continued threats will never stop me from representing my constituents.”
U.S Capitol Police investigated the case, using phone records to link the messages to Shapiro and his home in Greenacres, according to the complaint.
“Hey greaseball,” one message began. ” … I’m gonna come and kill your children you mother ******. I’m gonna kill your children.”
“I’m gonna come after you and kill you,” another said.
In multiple messages, Shapiro called Swalwell a “Chinese spy,” possibly in reference to allegations reported by Axios in 2020 that a suspected Chinese spy known as Fang Fang targeted him and other up-and-coming California politicians.
One message simply repeated the word “Fang” over and over.
Swalwell’s office told Axios at the time that he provided information about Fang to the FBI and would not participate in the story “to protect information that might be classified.”
Shapiro is a suspect in three earlier threat cases, according to the complaint, including one from 2019 in which he pleaded guilty.
He had his first appearance Wednesday morning in Miami before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart for the Southern District of Florida.
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