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Re: California Man Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison For Making Threats Against Political Officials And Journalists Relating To The Outcome Of The 2020 Presidential Election

By: clo2 in FFT4 | Recommend this post (0)
Tue, 21 Dec 21 1:30 PM | 17 view(s)
Boardmark this board | FFT4 		Msg. 02526 of 13382
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The backstory

Lemke was arrested back in January and charged with sending threatening texts to relatives of both Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and ABC's George Stephanopoulos. I mentioned the arrest on "Reliable Sources" at the time. So imagine my surprise when, two months later, FBI agents said they wanted to talk to me. They had combed through Lemke's phone and realized that I was also one of his targets. So were others at CNN, and multiple members of Congress, and a mayor and a nonprofit CEO. The feds counted threatening communiques to approximately 50 victims.

When I was asked if I would be willing to testify at trial, I said yes, in the hope that this case would send a message against the pervasive harassment of journalists. Lemke ultimately avoided a jury trial by pleading guilty in October to a single charge, involving the threats against Stephanopoulos's family. But other victims were welcome to submit "victim impact statements" for the sentencing hearing. That's why Lemon and I were in court on Monday...


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The above is a reply to the following message:
California Man Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison For Making Threats Against Political Officials And Journalists Relating To The Outcome Of The 2020 Presidential Election
By: clo2 in FFT4
Tue, 21 Dec 21 1:26 PM 		Msg. 02525 of 13382

In a federal courtroom in lower Manhattan on Monday, Robert Lemke, a California man and devoted Donald Trump supporter, was sentenced to three years in prison. The case illustrated the real-life consequences of the Big Lie.

I was in the courtroom along with CNN's Don Lemon because we were both on the receiving end of Lemke's threats, and we wanted the judge to hear first-hand accounts of what it was like.

Many reporters are sadly accustomed to receiving threats and harassment in connection with their work. For some, the intimidation can have a chilling effect. For others, it can become like brutal background noise, accepted as part of the job, even when the threats rise to the level of a felony. Prosecutions are rare. Consequences are rare. So maybe this case will matter. "The need to deter others from other similar conduct is evident," U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said before adjourning the hearing.


http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/california-man-sentenced-3-years-prison-making-threats-against-political-officials-and

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