A conservative blogger apparently upset over the controversial health insurance reform bill is under investigation after he used his public Twitter account to urge the assassination of President Barack Obama.
The blogger repeatedly posted tweets that included a call for assassination of our U.S. President and compared even Barack Obama to Lincoln and Kennedy, who were each assassinated during their terms:
It gets worse:
A U.S. Secret Service spokesperson confirmed that they are closly watching the blogger and stated, “We are aware of the actual posting and are actively investigating.”
Solly Forell, the crazy blogger issuing the threats, later recanted by stating “I have no intent, desire or motivation to harm the POTUS and I can’t imagine why you’re interested in my recent tweets. Oddly enough, they’ve caused more of a stir than they were designed to.”
Several members of Twitter have banned together to get Sorell’s account deleted and Twitter even said they deleted his account. I checked yesterday and his account is still up and running, and he had deleted the most vicious tweets but there were still a slew of disturbing ones aimed at our U.S. President that were still posted in his timeline.
Sorell may think he’s protected by the First Amendment when it comes to his tweets, but according to 18 USC Sec. 871:
Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
I’m hoping they lock his “A”zz up pretty soon…
