Today we woke up to this in the Tennessean.
A candidate who’s seeking to represent Nashville in Congress posted a photo of his gun and a pointed message for President Barack Obama on his campaign Facebook page.
Brad Staats, the Republican nominee challenging U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper in the 5th Congressional District election, posted the picture of the silver and black Colt 911 semi-automatic pistol on Friday. Under it he wrote:
“Many people in Tennessee keep asking me about my opinion on Second Amendment rights. Apparently Tennesseans are part of that crazy crowd that Obama says ‘cling to (their) religion and guns.’ Well, then I must be part of that crazy crowd. Here is something that I usually have with me. Welcome to Tennessee Mr. Obama.”
After years of living in the Tennessee-7th, and voting in futility for anybody running against Marsha Blackburn, I now live in the 5th. I am not a big fan of Jim Cooper, but next month I will vote for a winning congressional representative for the first time in a long time. I knew nothing about his opponent until this.
Here is a great understatement in response to the post from Max Milien of the United States Secret Service.
“We’re aware of it, and we will conduct any appropriate follow-up if necessary,” Milien said.
In the interview Mr. Staats continued to deny a threat of any kind, but the
Tennessean included another Facebook post from yesterday that produced a more ominous combination.
In another post Monday, Staats linked to a YouTube video and wrote, “Is our current administration filled with traitors? Is our president a traitor? Is Barak (sic) Hussein Obama qualified to be president? Watch this EXCELLENT video and tell me. Remember, to our knowledge, Jim Cooper has signed off on every major piece of legislation that the current administration has proposed, even after he said he would not. Thank you Mr. Cooper ...”
[Update]
Coverage spreading to local news stations nd beyond now. Here is
WSMV, our local NBC affiliate.
Staats tells Channel 4 he is getting an enormous amount of attention for the post, including calls from national news networks.
"I wonder what picture I will have to post tomorrow for Congressman Cooper to accept my debate challenge?" he wrote late Monday night.
Does it sound like he is considering another threat?