Ross man charged with making phone threats to members of Congress

A Ross man has been charged with threatening two members of Congress, according to a federal indictment.

Harry E. Miller, 62, is charged with sending threatening communications in interstate commerce. The indictment was returned on Tuesday and unsealed Friday.

On Aug. 19, 2019, Miller called the office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark in Malden, Mass., and “stated that he was willing to abolish government by spilling blood by taking out four to five Democrats, including U.S. Rep. [Katherine] Clark, that he would start shooting black people to keep them in line if he had to, and the congressional staffer was an [expletive] who will also die in Miller’s forthcoming civil war,” the indictment said.

In the second count, the grand jury said that Miller called North Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr’s Washington, D.C., office on Jan. 7 and “stated that he was going to put a bullet in Sen. Burr’s head,” the indictment said.

The third count alleges that, also on Jan. 7, Miller called Burr’s D.C. office, and the call was transferred to a person in Tennessee. In the call, Miller “stated that, if he traveled to D.C., he would be willing to shoot four or five senators in the head and that this statement was not a threat but a promise.”

In a news release, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Miller’s words were criminal, and not protected speech.

“As the events of the past year show, there are individuals intent on harming our public servants and law enforcement,” he said.

“The threats alleged in this indictment were aimed at sitting lawmakers and crossed a line,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael Christman. “The First Amendment does not give people the right to threaten anyone.”

Chief Magistrate Judge Cynthia Reed Eddy released Miller on $25,000 unsecured bond.