The killings of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, have raised worries about legislator safety, and on Friday, a registered lobbyist from Minnesota was charged with “threats of violence,” including targeting the State Capitol. Jonathan Bohn is a native of Woodbury who represents academics at Minnesota State University as a lobbyist for the Inter Faculty Organization.
A guy called the Carver County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, claiming that Bohn was an acquaintance who had threatened him that evening. The guy claimed that because of political disagreements that had developed, the two had not spoken for a long time.
In addition to Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who were shot and injured that same evening, the attacks on the Hortmans have sparked concerns about the relatively open Minnesota Capitol and increased police security for some state and federal officials. Governor Tim Walz stated Thursday that the state legislation allowing permit holders to carry concealed guns within the Capitol building should be reexamined by the Legislature.
What prompted threats from the Minnesota lobbyist Bohn
Three of the four alleged messages that Bohn sent—three of which included threats—are included in the criminal complaint against him. According to one, Bohn “bought 500 bullets.” Bohn reportedly planned to bring a gun to the Capitol and shoot someone, according to another.
In a statement issued from prison, Bohn said that when he wrote the messages, he was grieving the Hortmans’ deaths and the Hoffmans’ related shootings.
He stated,
“I sent a series of heated and emotional texts to a friend of nearly thirteen years in the midst of this immense grief.” “I support the calls from community leaders and public officials to temper our political discourse, and I condemn violence in all its forms,”
he continued.
“I didn’t accomplish that here.”
Bohn has been placed on administrative leave, according to a statement issued by the Inter Faculty Organization on Friday. The lawsuit claims that Bohn started sending the SMS on Wednesday just before 7:30 p.m.
The alleged victim informed police that he was worried because Bohn “was a lobbyist who is frequently at the Capitol,” however, it is unclear if he was a Capitol employee. According to the allegations, police discovered an unloaded firearm in a locked container in the lobbyist‘s garage after apprehending Bohn and carrying out a search request.
According to a statement from the Minnesota House Republican Caucus, Bohn was taken into custody after Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, informed law enforcement of the letter delivered to one of his constituents.
The Inter Faculty Group declared in a statement that it “condemns political violence and threats of violence in any form.” Such behavior is intolerable and contradicts the principles that govern our work. The union also promised to educate its members and work with law enforcement as required.
