Authorities Release Voicemail They Say Was From Chicago Heights Man Accused Of Threatening Inauguration
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Authorities late Thursday released the chilling and vulgar vocemail a suburban man is accused of leaving a lawmaker as he threatened to shoot up the inauguration.
A federal judge has ordered that the man, Louis Capriotti, will remain in custody.
Capriotti, 45, was arrested a week ago Tuesday morning, charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago.
"You think that Joe Biden is going to put his hand on the Bible and walk into that f***ing White House on January 20th, you're sadly f***ing mistaken," Capriotti is heard saying in the Dec. 29 voicemail. "We will surround the motherf***ing White House and we will kill any motherf***ing Democrat that steps on the motherf***ing lawn."
According to the charges, Capriotti falsely claimed to be an active-duty Marine when he left that voicemail message for a U.S. House member from New Jersey -- identified only as "Member D."
Capriotti left a similar voicemail threatening Vice President Kamala Harris, authorities said.
Capriotti's attorney claimed he had no real plan to act on his threat, but a judge rejected that argument.
The charges say Capriotti also called several members of Congress between October 2019 and January 2020, leaving "disturbing, anonymous messages on the voicemail systems."
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Court documents state the messages "in almost every instance, included profanity, along with derogatory remarks concerning the race, religion, political affiliation, or physical appearance of certain Members and others."
Capriotti often screamed during the messages and "spoke of 'rais[ing] mother f***ing hell' and referred to certain Members as 'terrorists' or 'gun grabbing.'"
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