It's simultaneously fascinating and horrifying the degree to which the brutal October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel has prompted antisemitism to rear its ugly head in the most twisted version of victim-blaming I've ever witnessed. As disheartening as that's been to observe, the degree to which most (not all) members of Congress — Republicans and Democrats alike — have voiced their support for Israel and their condemnation of Hamas and antisemitism has been reassuring.

There are Democrats in the House and Senate with whom I agree on very little — if anything — policy-wise, who have nevertheless shown they have moral clarity on the issue of Israel's right to exist and calling out the blatant antisemitism being bandied about at protests and on college campuses. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) happens to be one of those Democrats. 

@MarshaBlackburn & I are introducing a bipartisan resolution condemning this bigotry on campuses, & urging college & university leaders to protect Jewish students.https://t.co/IolvaAHPNm

— Senator Jacky Rosen (@SenJackyRosen) October 25, 2023

Not all of her constituents are happy about this, it seems, as a Las Vegas man, John Anthony Miller, has now been arrested and federally charged with one count of threatening a federal official. Miller, 43, is accused of leaving several voicemails with Rosen's office in which he threatened to kidnap, assault, or murder her. 

A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court on October 27, 2023, for making threatening communications to a United States Senator from Nevada.

According to allegations contained in a criminal complaint, between October 11, 2023 and October 19, 2023, John Anthony Miller, 43, left numerous threatening voicemails at the office of a United States Senator. On October 17, 2023, Miller threatened to assault, kidnap, or murder the United States Senator with intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the United States Senator while engaged in the performance of official duties, or with intent to retaliate against the United States Senator on account of the performance of official duties.

Additionally, on October 18, 2023, at the Lloyd D. George Courthouse in Las Vegas, Miller stated that he was going to see the United States Senator. He refused to fully cooperate with a Court Security Officer and was denied entry into the courthouse. After being refused entry, he became agitated and started yelling and shouting profanities.

Miller was arrested on October 26, 2023. He is charged with one count of threatening a Federal official. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for November 13, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.

The profanity-laden voicemails included Miller questioning whether Rosen had "Israeli settler" family members and accusing Rosen of allowing family members to kill Palestinians in the West Bank. 

For example, Miller said in one of the voicemails, "All these [expletive]ing lies is in your [expletive]ing hands, you [expletive]ing [expletive], and I’m gonna [expletive]ing see you soon, you [expletive]ing sellout [expletive]ing [expletive] [expletive]."

...

On Oct. 19, Miller left more voicemails for Rosen, including one when he asked if the senator had any family members who were Israeli settlers, suggesting if she did, he was pretty sure she would not make it illegal for them to come back to the U.S.

"...450 thousand of ‘em are American and are able to co-commit war crimes and come back and forth. Huh? Yeah, I-I-I pretty sure she is. Pretty sure she is. And she ain’t gon do a damn thing," the criminal complaint claims Miller said. "She lets her own family members kill these Pe-Palestinians in the West Bank. The Christians in the West Bank. Senator, I’m sorry to say, but yah know what, you’re a piece of [expletive] and you’re gonna burn in [expletive]ing [expletive] for your [expletive]ing crimes."

Miller made his initial court appearance on Friday and was appointed a public defender. A preliminary hearing on the matter is now set for November 13. He has been ordered detained until trial.