Rep. Andy Holt said he received threats after earlier in the day he announced his intentions to give away an AR-15 assault rifle.
He said multiple phone calls from a Memphis phone number. The caller on the other end of the phone, who did not identify himself, made multiple threats to Rep. Holt’s executive legislative assistant, Michael Lotfi, and Rep. Holt himself. The threats were in response to comments Rep. Holt made, it was stated.
“The caller dialed our office multiple times starting at around 5 p.m. and asked whether or not Rep. Holt was in the office and when he would be returning,” said Mr. Lotfi. “He then went on to threaten to ‘beat our a---s’ and made multiple mentions of the fact that he had many guns and knew how to use them. I told the caller that I was not at liberty to discuss Rep. Holt’s campaign and that he should not call the Capitol regarding such issues. However, he continued to call and started to make threats. Holt is a big guy, as am I, and we can both take care of ourselves, but we felt the need to report this to the state troopers considering that there are many children and women here at the capitol on a daily basis.”
Mr. Lotfi said he began recording the phone conversations after the caller continued to dial the office.
“The caller stated he’d be coming to Nashville tomorrow (Tuesday) in order to pay us a visit,” said Mr. Lotfi.
The caller can be heard in the recordings bragging about having multiple firearms, saying, “I have plenty of guns, and a license to carry.” The caller goes on to say, “I’ll be there tomorrow. Real simple, b----. What’s your name?”
Mr. Lotfi then asked the caller to clarify, “So, you’ll be here tomorrow at 1 p.m. to kick my a--?” The caller responded by saying, “Right about then, or maybe two. It takes me a few hours to get to Nashville.”
The caller dialed the office again to say that he was going to get a hotel room in Nashville for the night and that he would arrive earlier in the morning. “I’ll be there… Real early,” the caller said before hanging up.
“This is the kind of inconsistent behavior we see from the left wing,” said Rep. Holt. “Here we are trying to ensure that people have the right to protect themselves, and we’re getting death threats over it? These liberal activists are threatening to bring their guns to the Capitol and harm people… It makes zero sense, but It’s what we have come to expect. I’d sure like to see where Democrat leaders are on condemning this type of behavior from members of their party rather than letting it go unchecked. We’re asking the state troopers to keep an eye out for the safety of those at the capitol.”