'Taken A Serious Toll': GOP Rep Announces Retirement After Getting Death Threats From MAGA

[appalachiablue]

Alternet, March 8, 2024.

Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Montana) is now no longer running for reelection, citing death threats against him and his family.

Even though he didn't mention Trump by name, Rosendale notably attributed his exit from the House of Representatives to a slew of threats he got after announcing he was running in Montana's Republican US Senate primary against businessman Tim Sheehy, whom Trump has already endorsed. Even though Rosendale dropped out of the Senate race last month, he said the severity of the threats has continued unabated, requiring him to leave public office.

"I withdrew [from the US Senate race] as soon as possible so as not to jeopardize the opportunity for Republicans to secure that seat," Rosendale stated. "Upon withdrawing from that race, and again at the urging of many, including several of the current candidates, I filed to run for reelection to my current seat." "Since that announcement, I have been forced to have law enforcement visit my children because of a death threat against me and false and defamatory rumors against me and my family," he continued.

"This has taken a serious toll on me, and my family." So, in the best interest of my family and the community, I am withdrawing from the House race and will not be seeking office," he added. Rosendale, who has been in Congress since 2021, lost to Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) in the 2018 midterm election. Tester is facing a tough reelection battle, as a popular incumbent Democratic US senator vying for a fourth term in a state that Trump won by more than 16 points in 2020.

And as NBC News reported in February, Rosendale's entry into Montana's Republican US Senate primary ruffled the feathers of multiple Trump associates. "Obviously there’s this bloodbath that’s about to play out," an unnamed Trump strategist told NBC...
https://www.alternet.org/gop-rep-threats/

[Irish_Dem]

1. The MAGAs will bully and threaten anyone who stands in their way.

It is like Putin's Russia.

[appalachiablue]

3. It definitely looks that way. As serious as it gets.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Yes it is. The destruction of democracy.

[appalachiablue]

9. More on this story from The Guardian, March 9:

.. Matt Rosendale, a member of the far-right House freedom caucus, signed up in February to participate in Montana’s Republican primary to challenge the Democratic incumbent, Jon Tester, in November. But Rosendale soon withdrew after Donald Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee each endorsed his opponent, Tim Sheehy, an aerospace millionaire and retired navy seal.

He initially planned to seek re-election to the seat he has held since 2021 but encountered political headwinds. Notably, his office threatened to sue the former Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp after she appeared on the 26 February episode of the Talking Feds with Harry Litman podcast and accused Rosendale of bailing from the Senate primary because he had impregnated a staff member.

In addition to a lawsuit threat aimed at Heitkamp, Rosendale’s office responded with a statement calling the congresswoman’s allegation “100% false and defamatory”...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/09/matt-rosendale-montana-congressman-quits-politics

[MOMFUDSKI]

2. The Frankenstein monster the party created

is ALIVE and on the loose now. They had not an ounce of foresight. Proceed

[crud]

4. I wonder if there were direct orders from Trump

to threaten this guy and his family. Seems like maybe we have gone from stochastic terrorism to straight-up terrorism.

[onecaliberal]

5. The people making the threats are never caught or arrested.

I don’t think anyone bothers to investigate. It’s fucking ridiculous.

[RussBLib]

8. Several have been arrested

...but it seems there are many more threats than there are people held accountable. Building a case can take time, and there are so many tools available that make it harder for police to track you down. A 72-yr-old Florida man was arrested for threatening to kill Eric Swalwell. A 17-yr-old California kid was arrested for launching hundreds of "swattings." An Ohio man was arrested for threatening to kill AOC. A Utah man was arrested for making over 2,000 profanity-filled calls to Congress for not supporting Trump.

One person really can make a difference. For good or ill. Just look at Traitor Trump.

https://russblib.blogspot.com

[Wonder Why]

7. If they're not maggots, they are weasels. One or the other.

[FakeNoose]

10. I predict a BLUE SWEEP of the House and Senate

The Repukes are doing this to themselves. Now that Chump owns the RNC, there will be no help for any down-ticket candidates anywhere. As long as we get out the vote our Dem candidates will win.