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WHERE’S THE MEDIA?? Man Sentenced For Threatening To Kill Republican Lawmaker And His Family

If this was a Democrat imagine the media coverage.

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OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


A man who threatened to murder a Republican lawmaker and his family has just learned his sentence and it is likely to infuriate you.

Sidhartha Kumar Mathur, 35 admitted in June that he threatened to kill Rep. Andy Harris and his family, The Washington Post reported.

“I will kill you and blow up your office if you try to take my vote away” and “I know where you and your family lives,” he said in messages sent via the congressman’s website.

And he left a message on the congressman’s voicemail that said, “If you even mess with my vote, I’m going to come and slit your throat and I’ll kill your family.”

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His punishment for this crime?

He was given two years probation and made to spend eight weekends in jail. That is 16 days, the Justice Department said in a press release.

“U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Sidhartha Kumar Mathur, age 35, of West Friendship, Maryland to two years’ probation including eight weekends in the federal bureau of prisons and six months of home detention with electronic monitoring for making false statements to federal agents, relating to the death threats he sent to a Member of Congress representing Maryland. Judge Bennett also ordered Mathur to perform 100 hours of community service,” the department said.

“The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Chief Tom Manger of the United States Capitol Police.

“According to his guilty plea, in December 2020, Mathur communicated a threat in a webmail message on a congressional representative’s website.  Mathur’s threats included violent statements such as “I will kill you and blow up your office if you try to take my vote away” and “I know where you and your family lives.  You will be ended.” Mathur listed the name and previous address of a former classmate and neighbor (Individual B) for the webmail contact information.

“Mathur also left a threatening voice message on the same Representative’s District Office voicemail stating similar threats including, ‘If you even mess with my vote, I’m going to come and slit your throat and I’ll kill your family,’” it said.

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“During an interview with special agents of the United States Capitol Police, Mathur confirmed the phone number used to place the threatening voicemail belonged to him and that he called the congressional member out of anger.

“As detailed in his plea agreement, Mathur further acknowledged that Individual B was a former neighbor and classmate. However, Mathur falsely denied responsibility for the webmail threat submitted in Individual B’s name. The agents reiterated that providing false statements to federal agents was a felony offense.  Mathur continued to falsely deny responsibility for the threatening webmail messages written in Individual B’s name. When given a final opportunity to correct his false statement, Mathur again falsely denied making the webmail threat,” it said.

Congressman Harris issued a statement after the sentencing saying that he was frustrated that Mathur was allowed to walk free before sentencing.

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“These grotesquely violent and serious threats made against me and my family last December were appalling – and it was frustrating that this man was allowed to walk free until sentencing.  Nevertheless, I can’t thank the Capitol Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and all others involved enough for their swift and thorough investigation and response to this matter.  I hope that this felony conviction serves as a lesson that all political disagreements in America must be addressed in a civil way – not by threats of physical, deadly violence,” he said.

“The convicted offender was previously released on certain terms until sentencing.  In his brief statement during sentencing, Dr. Harris emphasized that as a public official he expects angry individuals at times, but not violent threats against his family, whose lives were also affected – essentially subjected to home detention following and until resolution of this threat,” the press release said.

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