Washington man charged in threat against Gov. Inslee over coronavirus rules

EVERETT, Wash. -- A Washington state man was arrested and charged with threatening the governor over his response to the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said.

The office of constituent services for Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee reported the threatening voicemail to the Washington State Patrol on April 21, The Daily Herald reported.

The Mill Creek suspect, who was not named by the newspaper, said in the message that the governor violated the Constitution and that he would not be safe, according to charging papers.

State troopers used phone records to confirm that the number was the source of three calls to the governor’s office, and that one of the calls was made from the home of the suspect.

The man told detectives that he left the message and reiterated that the governor was violating people’s rights, troopers said.

The suspect was booked into Snohomish County Jail on the felony charge before he posted $15,000 bond and was released, authorities said. He posted an additional $50,000 bond after a judge ordered his return to jail.

The man is barred from possessing any guns and making contact with anyone at the governor’s office except through legal counsel, the judge said.