Death Threats Force FreedomWorks to Move

Death Threats Force FreedomWorks to Move
Thursday, 26 Aug 2010 03:45 PM Article Font Size
By: David A. Patten

The grass-roots conservative FreedomWorks organization has received so many death threats in the run-up to the midterm elections that the organization is moving its headquarters.

"Yes, it's constant, and we are going to have to move up to Capitol Hill," FreedomWorks spokesman Adam Brandon tells Newsmax.

The threats are coming in via phone and e-mail, and have escalated to the point that the organization has decided it must move into a high-security building near the Capitol building.

Editor's Note: See the Newsmax interview with Dick Armey below.

Many of the threats are said to involve high-profile FreedomWorks Chairman and former Rep. Dick Armey, who has become a de facto spokesman for the tea party movement.

Sources tell Newsmax some threats are veiled, while others are explicit. Many are profanity-laced telephone calls, and some imply the use of weapons

"It's not like we think there's an imminent threat coming tomorrow," Brandon tells Newsmax. "It's that it just doesn't stop, and we're concerned that somebody someday is going to have a screw loose."

FreedomWorks officials expect the intensity of the threats to increase as the November elections draw near. But the organization, which has played a central role in nurturing the various tea party organizations, is putting off its move until after the elections to avoid any disruption of its activities.

In addition to moving to a more secure building, Brandon says the organization also may hire additional security guards.

Paul Bedard of U.S. News & World Report's Washington Whispers blog reports some calls the group has received even target conservative radio hosts.

One recorded message stated "we are going to destroy and obliterate Rush [Limbaugh] and Sean Hannity," said another. "Those two guys are dead."

Brandon comments: "We've all kind of just gotten used to it to an extent. You just let it go to voicemail and then you move on."