San Francisco Man Arrested for Allegedly Threatening Nancy Pelosi
Wednesday 07 April 2010
by: Rob Hotakainen | McClatchy Newspapers
Washington - The FBI on Wednesday arrested a San Francisco man for allegedly making threats against Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after she voted to back a massive health care overhaul, authorities said.
Agents arrested Gregory Lee Giusti, 48, at his home midday Wednesday, said Patti Hansen, a spokeswoman for the FBI's San Francisco office. She said Giusti will make his first appearance before a federal magistrate Thursday morning.
Authorities would not comment on the specific charges against Giusti, but Associated Press reported that federal officials said the man made dozens of calls to Pelosi's homes in San Francisco and Washington and to her husband's business office.
One official told Associated Press that the man is believed to have spoken directly with Pelosi at least once.
"I'm not really going to comment on the charges," the FBI's Hansen, a public affairs specialist, told McClatchy.
It was the second consecutive day in which authorities made an arrest in connection with alleged threats against a member of Congress. On Tuesday, law enforcement officials filed charges against Charles Alan Wilson, 63, of Selah, Wash., who allegedly made threatening calls to Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington.
Pelosi had no comment but thanked authorities for their work.
"After an investigation into threats made against Speaker Pelosi, an arrest has been made in San Francisco," Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said in a statement. "The speaker thanks the FBI, the Capitol Hill Police, House Sergeant at Arms and other law enforcement officials for their professionalism in this matter. She will have no further comment at this time."
On Monday, Pelosi told reporters in San Francisco that "people have been active in expressing their disagreement" since the health care vote.
Sometimes those expressions have risen "to the level of threats or violence," Pelosi said, explaining that she was not allowed to comment on her own situation.
The allegations against Giusti come just days after Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives said that at least 10 of their members had received threats since the health care vote and some had sought additional security protection.
Virginia Republican Rep. Eric Cantor also said he'd received threats. Cantor, the House Republican whip, charged that Democrats were using the reports of threats against their members as a "political weapon" against Republicans.
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Comments
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Cantor is a big lying sack
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 07:50 — Droslovinia (not verified)Cantor is a big lying sack of crap, and has been for some time. While I wouldn't be surprised to see that someone finally got tired of it and threatened him, the non-news of any police action in his case suggests that he's either making this up, or that he's willfully violating the law by failing to report a felony. Either way, he's thoroughly loathsome and disingenuous individual who deserves as much credence as an Elvis sighting.
Pelosi has most certainly
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 09:24 — Tiddlywinks (not verified)Pelosi has most certainly been disappointing for a long time, she is a typical "bought and paid for" Congress-woman... a symbol of all that is wrong with the Dems.
But attacking a politician is completely self defeating , especially in a Police state.
Now if the voter public set off a very powerful electoral campaign to get rid of her, then I think she would get the message. Its time to start a counter political effort to start replacing these corrupt politicians one by one, starting with Pelosi
In a Police state, violent acts only make justification for more police insanity and that hurts everyone..voice your opposition loudly..but wisely
If they can arrest this guy,
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 09:54 — Anonymous (not verified)If they can arrest this guy, what is stopping them from arresting Glenn Beck? Did he not also threaten Congresswoman Pelosi?
If she doesn't want to hear
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 10:29 — Anonymous (not verified)If she doesn't want to hear from people she needs to go to K Street. The Bitch oh is she going to sick the FBI on me now?
It's obviously wrong what
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 10:40 — Anonymous (not verified)It's obviously wrong what this man did, but I read in another article that he lives in a public housing complex in the Tenderloin, which is (or was, at least, to my recollection) a San Francisco ghetto community filled with poverty, prostitution, drug dealing, street people, etc. He was on Medicaid. How does the health bill affect him? Well, not much one way or the other. He will continue to be on a substandard government plan where they pour millions into people policing other people on the program, and nothing into health care itself. This man had a nervous breakdown on Medicaid because he didn't have health care. The Democrats are expanding more of that crap while the Republicans want to eliminate health care altogether. Between the two parties, there's really no choice. 14:54 asks what's to stop them from arresting Glenn Beck? I think the more pertinent question is, what's to stop them from arresting anyone who dares complain about their Medicaid? For all this trouble, they should be opening Medicare for all. Health care is a human right, and they are basically expanding, instead, a tiered and bigoted health care delivery system, because some people in our country think they're entitled to better health care than others. This man was not getting the health care he needed, and he still wouldn't be getting the health he needs, on the Democrats' overhaul. Sorry, but I just don't see this guy as the equivalent of a southern bigot objecting to the integration of schools. I think the Democrats would like you to believe that -- and certainly the tea bags are like that -- but I don't this incident that way at all. Just another smoke and mirrors show.
Notice that this man is 48
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 11:23 — Anonymous (not verified)Notice that this man is 48 years old.
Nazi Peljewzi is a
Thu, 04/08/2010 - 16:19 — Anonymous (not verified)Nazi Peljewzi is a lizard-bitch with no soul--She was privy to information about torture being committed by US military at Guantanamo years before anyone else knew about it and she lied and covered it up! Why should she continue to sleep soundly at night? THEY WON'T EVEN DISCUSS WHAT GIUSTI SAID TO HER! WHY - BECAUSE I'M SURE HE TOLD THE TRUTH.
Arrest Glen Beck!
Fri, 04/09/2010 - 07:44 — radline9 (not verified)Arrest Glen Beck!
This is strange, and makes
Fri, 04/09/2010 - 08:36 — Anonymous (not verified)This is strange, and makes one wonder. If anyone calls their so-called representative, which I believe is still legal in this country, and they sound "angry"
aren't new rules in place in our police state that suggests action against the angry constituent is warranted? This is very chilling in a way. We are allowed to "complain" but it must be done "correctly" or else it is a violation of the law in these times.
Fox News can incite the
Fri, 04/09/2010 - 11:17 — Anonymous (not verified)Fox News can incite the intellectually underprivileged, gun-happy Republicans into wearing exposed guns at Obama rallies, staring him down with loaded guns combined with hateful looks, but this man is arrested? I don't get it.