A troubling pattern of violence linked to political rhetoric has emerged with the recent arrest of Panos Anastasiou, a 76-year-old Alaska man, who allegedly threatened to torture and murder six U.S. Supreme Court justices and some of their family members.
The Department of Justice announced that Anastasiou faces nine counts of making threats against a federal judge and 13 counts of making threats in interstate commerce.
This case follows a series of violent incidents tied to individuals who are politically engaged, raising concerns about the influence of extreme rhetoric on acts of violence.
Anastasiou, who made over 80 donations to ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform, reportedly sent over 465 messages to the Supreme Court between March and July of 2023.
According to the indictment, these messages contained violent threats involving racist, homophobic rhetoric, and explicit intentions to assassinate justices through torture, hanging, or gunfire.
The threats, which were sent via a public website, also encouraged others to join in the acts of violence.
Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the threats, stating, “We allege that the defendant made repeated, heinous threats to murder and torture Supreme Court Justices and their families to retaliate against them for decisions he disagreed with. Our justice system depends on the ability of judges to make their decisions based on the law, and not on fear.”
The DOJ did not specify which justices were targeted, but given the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, the threats likely stem from outrage over recent rulings.
One such ruling, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, incited a wave of backlash from pro-abortion activists.
This decision infuriated many radicals, leading to a string of hate crimes and terror attacks against pro-life organizations and churches.
It appears that Anastasiou’s threats were part of this larger outcry against conservative justices.
In some messages, he allegedly threatened to lynch one justice, hang another from an oak tree, and shoot a third in the head.
He also threatened to harm their family members.
The indictment claims these threats were made to intimidate the justices and retaliate for their rulings, including their decision on Dobbs.
The case also brings to light another incident in 2022 when Nicholas John Roske was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house, armed with a gun and knife. Roske admitted he intended to kill Kavanaugh after a draft of the Dobbs opinion was leaked.
Anastasiou’s threats came at a time when some Democratic lawmakers were vocal in their criticism of conservative Supreme Court justices.
Figures such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse publicly condemned Justice Samuel Alito, accusing him of being an extremist and a threat to democracy.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark also made incendiary comments, accusing Alito of supporting insurrection and undermining free elections.
These remarks, though rhetorical, may have contributed to the heightened tension surrounding the Court’s decisions.
Anastasiou now faces severe legal consequences, with each count of threatening a justice carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while the 13 counts of interstate threats each carry a maximum sentence of five years.
This case underscores the dangerous consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric and highlights the ongoing threats faced by public officials in today’s polarized political climate.
Interesting. Democrats the party of violence and lawlessness. Where is the hard left fake news MSM to bang the drums on it? Because they are part of it,mactive participants.
The Democrat Marxist Party is no longer serving the Citizenry or following the US Constitution but is only part of a nefarious globalist agenda linked to the UN, WEF, WHO and Freemasons. The party is so corrupted with lies, deceptions and ulterior motives that it should be declared insanity, a derelict enemy of the people within and totally defunct. There are far too many RINO’s as well that over time have caved to this evil within the Democrat Party of the US Congress and are now in hidden allegiance with them and that Agenda! It’s going to take an actual miracle by God Almighty intervening to get this back to any semblance of what this Nation once had as a government of the People, by the People and for the People; because right now it’s as corrupted as all hell! This evil administration has run the National Deficit up in the past three and a half years another nearing 12 $Trillion bringing the current total over 36 $Trillion and now pushing the total debt toward 40 $Trillion, which will put America on the precipice of total collapse and the world economy with it! The People will be screwed when the banks fold up shop! Thanks politicians and liars!
Yes, and God will intervene if believers are willing to follow…
If My people (Client Nation USA) who are called by My name (believers in Jesus Christ) humble themselves (acknowledge our sins to God Ps 66:18, 1 John 1:9) and pray (1 Pet 2:9 power) and seek My face (Learn His Word) and turn from their evil ways (anything that distracts us from focusing on Jesus Christ), then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will restore their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Mary S Allen; yes that is truly what God will do but it remains to be seen if there is or will be enough of a revival in America for most to turn from their abhorrent sin and blasphemies that have brought this curse upon our once Great Nation under God!
Materialism, secularism, greed and selfishness have polluted and corrupted the people and thereby our Nation.
Far too many chose to turn their back on God in Jesus’ name and took their worship elsewhere putting it in so many things outside of God Almighty.
Now America is becoming just what many of our brave Christian Patriots had fought and died for in horrible wars to prevent the spread of that false evil ideology of communism. Now it’s here in the people and system making America no better than Communist China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba and many a Central and South American counties.
I place the blame on Chuck Shitmer when he stood outside the Supreme Court in front of a crowd and threatened Justice Kavanaugh, Justice Amey Barrett, Justice Alito and that sorry Son Of A Bitch got away with it.!
No Arrest, No losing the Bastards Job the chicken shit Republicans don’t go after Communist Democrats but allow all Communist to walk.
I wished, someone in the crowd would have thrown a brick at Shitmer and broke his Skull on that day.
Michael Smith, yes sir you are so correct! He said; “I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
I say this that if he said that not too many years ago or any Congressional member did such they would be in federal prison immediately; Leavenworth preferably he could listen to the wind howling all winter or GITMO even better! The gall of that lowdown Communist in our government to say that and by so doing generate and foment more extremist hostilities out in the public among all the kooks and maniacs on the “Left Fringe!”
So what does this tell us my Friend Fellow American Patriot; it says that the whole damned Congress “don’t give a rat’s ass” about us or what is right anymore, and that is why I advocate “God Almighty and in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ” like never before, because its beyond speech, making calls to congressional members or joining groups; “too far gone” isn’t even touching this mess!
Dear Lord help us!
He’ll get the Hunter Biden treatment
A Marxist Commie; of course he will!