Chicago Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Bailey
A Chicago man has been charged after making a threat of violence and murder in a voicemail to Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), the GOP nominee for Governor.
A 21-year-old Chicago man has been arrested for death threats against GOP gubernatorial nominee Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia).
Via the Chicago Sun-Times:
Prosecutors say anger over a political television ad at a bar led a Chicago man to send Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey a voicemail threatening to mutilate and kill him and his family — a threat that also prompted a lockdown of schools associated with the state senator and his family.
Bail was set at $75,000 for Scott Lennox, 21, of 3300 N. Lake Shore Drive, who is charged with one felony count each of threatening a public official, telephone harassment and harassment by electronic communications, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.
At a Wednesday afternoon hearing, Cook County Judge Susan Ortiz also put Lennox on electronic monitoring and barred him from contacting Bailey, his family or any of his employees.
The voicemail in question followed a fight Lennox had at a Chicago bar after a political ad appeared on the bar’s television. The ad — and repeated ads he had seen during the campaign — made Lennox “angry,” prosecutors said, and a “heated argument” began between Lennox and his friends, leading him to send a voicemail to Bailey’s Springfield office, prosecutors said.
“I’m going to skin Darren Bailey alive, making sure he is still alive, and I’m going to feed his f——— family to him as he is alive and screaming in f——— pain,” prosecutors say Lennox said in the voicemail. He also made statements about abortion in his message.
Governor JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon, and House Speaker Chris Welch have all condemned the actions.
Bailey issued a statement Wednesday afternoon:
“Divisive, inflammatory, and misleading rhetoric is driving hatred across our state as some attempt to label political opponents as dangerous threats. Whether we agree or disagree on policies, we are all Americans. I pray this young man gets the help he needs. We must bring our state together and fight for the safety and prosperity of every Illinoisan.”