A Montana man has been convicted for making numerous threatening phone calls to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office. Richard Rogers, 45, was found guilty by a federal jury on Wednesday. The charges stem from over 100 threatening calls Rogers made to McCarthy’s office after the U.S. government shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon over Montana in February 2023.
Rogers’ calls were relentless, with prosecutors stating he made over 100 calls within a mere 75 minutes on February 3rd. His calls were reportedly filled with vulgar language and offensive statements, alongside physical threats against McCarthy. He also placed over 150 calls to the FBI tip line between 2021 and 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey highlighted the nature of Rogers’ calls, stating, “You can’t talk to people that way. It’s common sense. He’s calling not out of political protest; he’s calling because he gets enjoyment out of it.”
Despite the prosecution’s assertion, Rogers claimed in court that his actions were a form of “civil disobedience.” He argued that his calls, inspired by the Chinese balloon incident, were intended as a response to what he perceived as disrespect from the government, particularly towards him. Rogers stated, “They were disrespectful to me, so I was disrespectful to them.”
Rogers’ sentencing is scheduled for January 31st. He faces a maximum of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the threat charge, and an additional two years in prison and $250,000 fine for the harassment convictions.
This incident underscores the serious consequences of making threats against government officials, even when motivated by perceived grievances. It also highlights the importance of respectful and constructive communication, even amidst differing political views.
