A 22-year-old woman has been formally charged with allegedly threatening the life of Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn.
The suspect, identified as Penelope Convertino, reportedly left a menacing voicemail at Blackburns Nashville satellite Senate office on May 30. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee released this information, noting that Convertino was apprehended by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday.
According to the Daily Caller, the voicemail allegedly contained explicit threats, with Convertino stating, My name is motherfucker and Im gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. Im gonna shoot her with a gun. Im gonna blow up her head on national TV. She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead fucking body.
Such threats against public officials are taken seriously, as emphasized by Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire, who remarked, Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats. Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.
Senator Blackburn, a staunch advocate for conservative values, has been serving in the U.S. Senate since January 2019. She recently announced her candidacy for the governorship of Tennessee, a move that underscores her commitment to public service despite the threats she faces.
In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Blackburn expressed her gratitude towards law enforcement and federal prosecutors for their prompt response, stating, Threats against the life of any public official are unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. I am grateful to law enforcement and federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee for taking this threat seriously and for their swift action. My focus remains on serving the people of Tennessee, and I will not be intimidated or deterred by those who seek to silence me.
If convicted, Convertino could face severe legal consequences, including a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by public officials who are often targeted for their political stances.
As the nation grapples with increasing political polarization, the safety and security of elected representatives remain paramount.
Login