Charles Turner Habermann Arrested For Making Threats Against Rep. Jim McDermott

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A Palm Springs man was arrested on Wednesday on charges of threatening in phone messages to kill U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott.

Charles Turner Habermann, 32, was taken into custody four days after U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was critically wounded in an Tucson, Arizona shooting spree that killed six people and wounded 13.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Habermann left two threatening, expletive-filled voicemail messages at the Seattle office of McDermott on December 10.
In the first message, according to the complaint, Habermann called McDermott, a Democrat, "disgusting, filthy, murderous" and a criminal and threatens to kill him if he ever "f---s around with my money."

In the second message, Habermann said, among other things, that he will "hunt that guy down and I'll f---ing get rid of him."

Habermann was scheduled to make an initial court appearance on the charges on Wednesday afternoon and could face ten years in prison if convicted.

Authorities said Habermann was investigated in March of 2010 for making threats against a member of the California Assembly.

(Writing and reporting by Dan Whitcomb)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[K111]

07:18 AM on 02/20/2011

I hate Limbaugh but something about this Schultz guy rubs me the wrong way, he is trying to be the anti Limbaugh it seems

[WSAY]

02:01 PM on 01/13/2011

Republicans are nuts.

[Eilis27]

09:58 AM on 01/13/2011

I find it interesting that the majority of threats lately are aimed at Democratic politicians. This would seem to nullify the pundits who claim vitriol does not contribute the the nasty political climate.

I don't know if the young man in AZ was motivated by heated rhetoric, but I do know it can contribute to a climate that allows people to think it is ok to behave inappropriately.

One only needs to look to Germany from 1921 to the end of WWI and the south during the Civil Rights movement to see how extreme vitriol shaped the climate to allow for some truely horrific acts.

[GJCO-JMH]

09:09 AM on 02/02/2011

Do you really think HP is going to report threats against Republicans? That would nullify the myth (aka lie) that all the vitriol comes from the right.

[LightSnowOvernight]

10:19 AM on 02/25/2011

fine, but please provide links to the threats against Republicans so we can all see both sides

[deirdreflanagan6]

09:44 AM on 01/13/2011

So is this the proof we need to stop the RW ranting?

[GoDems2012]

09:43 AM on 01/13/2011

Pick them up BEFORE they can pull a Tucson. It should be against the law to threaten a federal employee, period.

[K111]

08:57 AM on 01/13/2011

I really hope this guy gets a penalty that will leave him broke but I am sure he will get off

[lesterbud]

08:57 AM on 01/13/2011

When he gets out, I know a place where he can get a job.
He will only have to work 2 hours a day and he can say these sorts of things with impunity.
Rupert will provide him with Millions of viewers.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

06:36 AM on 01/13/2011

It's going to be exceedingly difficult for right-wingers to claim that Charles Turner Habermann was a Liberal/Leftist going after the 'Conservative' Jim McDermott, since the Congressman's politics are exceedingly Liberal. http://ontheissues.org/House/Jim_McDermott.htm

[notoriousFIL]

03:55 AM on 01/13/2011

Throw the effing book at this guy. Maximum sentence. Threatening a congressman, not because he's working hard for his money, or he can't find work, but that he's concerned about his huge trust fund being taxed. Please remove this broken mechanism from society as long as legally allowed.

[JhNyc]

02:52 AM on 01/13/2011

Mr. Habermann is likely to see how quickly attorney fees can burn through a big chunk of that $3 million dollar trust fund. Easy come, easy go.

[p456]

02:02 AM on 01/13/2011

Strange that his name is Turner like in Diaries.

[European1919]

01:23 AM on 01/13/2011

Ok. But when will people finally be arrested and indicted for threatening the lives of young Americans, nay, killing them in foreign countries, ie. politicians and generals?
Maybe those "representatives" ought to evaluate, WHY more and more people are not only dissatisfied whith them, but are actually voicing this and are prepared to do something about it. From 1775 to 1783 Americans were doing exactly that ... getting rid of a system they objected to. Today they are very proud of this achivement.

[gal416]

02:28 AM on 01/13/2011

So, what do you suggest?

[devondx]

02:56 AM on 01/13/2011

many national gaurdsman never expected long term war deployment.....

but they know it now ...nobodies being drafted....unless you're arguing that they are pushed in by

induced economic duress

[murphysgirl]

11:55 PM on 01/12/2011

How interesting that the Tea Party/Conservatives call foul on the spotlight they've received for their destructive political discourse, but all the while making threats to more Democratic members of Congress. Is there anyone in the GOP who has the balls to calm these nutjobs down?

[eilish]

11:33 PM on 01/12/2011

Time to start drawing the line.

[OLJW00]

11:17 PM on 01/12/2011

Anyone care to compare? If you dare? (rhyme intended)//

Still, I implore one of you to explain to me the difference?

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/01/dem-congressman-who-called-gop-gov-be-put-against-wall-and-shot-n

Because you can't have it both ways..