Texas woman arrested for making death threats against judge in Trump election case, as other Trump supporters intimidate Georgia grand jurors

Judge Tanya Chutkan and Abigail Jo Shry

A Texas woman has been arrested for making death threats against the federal judge assigned to hear the election-interference case in Washington, D.C., against Donald Trump. The threats also were directed at the judge's family and a Texas Congresswoman, according to a report from Donald Watkins, longtime Alabama attorney and criminal-defense expert.

Under the headline "Texas Woman Threatens to Kill Federal Judge in Donald Trump's Criminal Case," Watkins writes:

Spirited debate about the appropriateness and efficacy of the four criminal cases pending against presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump is perfectly fine within our democratic society.

Threats of violence and acts of violence are never appropriate tools for political participation in our system of democracy. 

Abigail Jo Shry, 43, of Alvin, Texas was arrested last week on a charge of transmitting a threat to injure a person via interstate commerce. Shry's threats were directed at Judge Tanya Chutkan, the federal judge who is presiding over Trump's election case in Washington, D.C., and Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

The threats were issued via a telephone call to Judge Chutkan's chambers, Watkins reports:

A probable cause affidavit signed by Joshua Henry, a special agent with the Federal Protective Service in the Department of Homeland Security, describes Shry's threats to Judge Chutkan and Congresswoman Lee.

Here is the pertinent excerpt from Joshua Henry's affidavit:

On August 5.2023, at approximately 7:51 p.m., a call was received in the chambers of District of Columbia United States District Judge Tanya Chutkan. According to caller identification on the Judge's phone, the call came from phone number (832) 537-2180. The caller's introduction stated, "Hey, you stupid slave nigger," after which the caller threatened to kill anyone who went after former President Trump, including a direct threat to kill Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, all democrats in Washington,D.C., and all people in the LGBTQ community. The caller further stated, "You are in our sights, we want to kill you," and "We want to kill Sheila Jackson Lee." "If Trump doesn't get elected in 2024, we are coming to kill you, so tread lightly, bitch." The caller continued with her threats, stating, "You will be targeted personally, publicly, your family, all of it."

Ms. Shry has admitted to making her call to Judge Chutkan's office. She also admitted that, if Congresswoman Lee travels to Alvin, Texas, federal law-enforcement officials need to worry about her safety.

All of this comes in the name of a presidential candidate with an overflowing amount of personal baggage. Writes Watkins:

Donald Trump has a public profile that includes 91 pending criminal charges, 26 sexual assault allegations, six past bankruptcies, five Vietnam-era draft deferments, four pending indictments, two failed impeachment attempts, one convicted Trump-owned company, one fake Trump university (that was shut down), one fake charity (that was shut down), a $25-million fraud settlement, a $5-million sexual abuse verdict, and a $2-million charity abuse judgment. Yet, a majority of Republicans voters support his candidacy for president.

Despite his documented personal baggage, Donald Trump is expected to become the GOP's nominee for president. Barring divine intervention, Trump will likely win the presidency, as well.

While it was within Ms. Shry’s First Amendment right to aggressively support Donald Trump's candidacy in every lawful way, she did not have a right to threaten the life of a federal judge and members of Congress in the exercise of this right. Nobody enjoys this right.

Ms. Shry is now sitting in a Texas jail, which is where she belongs. Shry does not deserve a release on bond because she is obviously a clear and present danger to our democracy.

So far, Trump and other Republicans have been slow to discourage threats of violence, Watkins reports:

At some point, Republican leaders and Donald Trump's MAGA supporters must publicly and forcefully denounce violence as an acceptable election tool. Their failure to do so sends the wrong message to the fringe elements in the MAGA movement.

Violence has no place in the American political system.

Shry is not the only Trump supporter to engage in harassing and threatening communications. We will be reporting shortly on intimidating messages directed at Georgia grand jurors, apparently through Trump's Truth Social Web site. We will provide details on those communications and outline the legal repercussions those supporters could wind up facing.

 

 

 

Ms. Shry has admitted to making her call to Judge Chutkan's office. She also admitted that, if Congresswoman Lee travels to Alvin, Texas, federal law enforcement officials need to worry about her safety.