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LEARN MOREPosted: 8:37 a.m. EDT Aug 17, 2023
Federal prosecutors have filed a criminal charge against a Texas woman accused of threatening a judge handling one of the cases involving former President Donald Trump.
Abigail Jo Shry faces a charge of transmitting a threat to injure a person via interstate commerce. Prosecutors said Shry left a threatening voicemail intended for Judge Tanya Chutkan. The voicemail also allegedly mentioned Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the LGBTQ community and other Democratic groups.
Prosecutors say Shry said in the message, "You are in our sights; we want to kill you" and "If Trump doesn't get elected in 2024, we are coming to kill you, so tread lightly, b----."
Prosecutors said a phone number with an 832 area code made the call. Shry admitted to investigators that the 832 number was hers, prosecutors say in an affidavit. She told investigators that she made a phone call to Chutkan, according to a court document.
Shry told investigators that she had no intentions of traveling to Washington to carry out the threats, but added if Jackson Lee ever came to Alvin, Texas, then "we need to worry," the affidavit said.
Chutkan, an appointee of President Barack Obama, is the judge tasked with handling a case involving Trump's alleged interference in the 2020 election.
Just last week, special counsel Jack Smith brought concerns over Trump's communications to Chutkan.
During an Aug. 11 hearing, Chutkan said Trump has the right to free speech, but she acknowledged that this right is not without limitations and that "the defendant’s free speech is subject to the rules."
Last week, prosecutors cited a Truth Social post by Trump in which he said he would be "coming after" those who "go after" him and expressed concerns about Trump revealing secret grand jury information, potentially intimidating witnesses, and causing harm.
Trump entered a not-guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and impeding Congress' certification of Joe Biden's election win.
