An Alaska man faces federal charges after authorities allege he threatened to hire an assassin to kill US Sen. Lisa Murkowski, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. In a separate threat left in a voice message at Murkowski’s Washington, D.C., office, the AP reports, the caller asked if the Alaska Republican knew what a .50 caliber shell does to a human head, according to court records unsealed Wednesday. Jay Allen Johnson, 65, of Delta Junction was being held in Fairbanks and was scheduled to make his first appearance in US District Court there on Wednesday on charges of making threats against Murkowski and another senator, the US Attorney's Office said.
The senators were not named by the US Attorney's Office or in an affidavit outlining the investigation filed by the FBI. However, Karina Borger, a spokesperson for Murkowski, confirmed that the Alaska Republican was one of the targets and was listed as "Senator 1" in the affidavit. A federal public defender assigned the case didn't immediately return a message seeking comment. Johnson faces several charges, including threatening to murder a US official with intent to intimidate or impede that person while conducting their official duties, making interstate threats and threatening to damage property by fire or explosives, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court. No motives were detailed in the affidavit.
The phone system at the senators' offices captures the number of the person calling. An investigation led law enforcement to a woman identified only by the initials "CP" who married Johnson in Texas in 2016, the affidavit said. Further investigation matched the number to both Johnson and CP, and both to a post office box and a physical address in Delta Junction, the court documents say. The affidavit states that on Sept. 29, a voice message left at the office of Senator 1, or Murkowski, was directed to the senator by name and that the caller threatens to hire an assassin. The message said, "resign or get the f--- gone, or die," according to the affidavit. The other senator received 13 voice messages between April to September, the filing says.
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